D 639 
.J4 J45 
1921 
Copy 1 




JEWISH WELFARE BOARD 



Final Report of War Emergency 
Activities 




NEW YORK 
1920 




JEWISH WELFARE BOARD 



Final Report of War Emergency 
Activities 



NEW YORK 
1920 






Ptibljshw 



CONTENTS 

Page 
Foreword 7 

Letter of General Pershing 8 

Minutes of Meeting, October 24, 1920 9 

Report of the Executive Committee 13 

Program of Future Work of the Jewish Welfare 
Board — Justice Irving Lehman 91 

Resolution Authorizing Amalgamation 97 

Memorial Address on Harry Cutler — Louis Mar- 
shall, Esq 98 

Jacob H. Schiff, In Memoriam 107 

Financial Statement. 108 

Executive Committee and Officers 113 

Office and Field Personnel 116 

Community Branches and Chairmen 124 



FOREWORD 

The Jewish Welfare Board, organized April 9, 1917, 
three days after the Declaration of War, was founded 
by the Jews of the United States with the sanction 
and recognition of the government, as their instru- 
mentality for contributing to the preservation of the 
morale and welfare of the soldiers, sailors and marines. 

In the following pages is presented an account of 
the Board's activities from the time of the signing of 
the Armistice, through the period of demobilization, 
to October 1, 1920. 

A narrative of the Board's activities must neces- 
sarily convey but an inadequate picture of the entire 
welfare enterprise. Facts and figures portray the 
undertaking as impersonal and detached. In truth, it 
was vitalized by the warmest feelings of personal 
interest and solicitude. 

The facts and figures set forth here are significant, 
however, as the expression of the great enthusiasm 
and inspiraton of the men and women of American 
Jewry who, in the camps and communities in this 
country and in Europe, laboring loyally in America's 
cause, wrought among the enlisted men benefits which 
strengthened their morale and helped to prepare them 
for their task. 

At a previous meeting of the Jewish Welfare Board, 
on November 24, 1918, a report was submitted which 
dealt with the organization of the Board and its 
welfare service during the mobilization, encampment 
and movement of troops to France, up to the signing 
of the Armistice. In the present report brief reference 
is also made to the matters treated in the earlier 
report and both constitute the complete record of the 
war emergency welfare service of the Jewish Welfare 
Board. 



FOREWORD 

The Jewish Welfare Board, organized April 9, 1917, 
three days after the Declaration of War, was founded 
by the Jews of the United States with the sanction 
and recognition of the government, as their instru- 
mentality for contributing to the preservation of the 
morale and welfare of the soldiers, sailors and marines. 

In the following pages is presented an account of 
the Board's activities from the time of the signing of 
the Armistice, through the period of demobilization, 
to October 1, 1920. 

A narrative of the Board's activities must neces- 
sarily convey but an inadequate picture of the entire 
welfare enterprise. Facts and figures portray the 
undertaking as impersonal and detached. In truth, it 
was vitalized b}^ the warmest feelings of personal 
interest and solicitude. 

The facts and figures set forth here are significant, 
however, as the expression of the great enthusiasm 
and inspiraton of the men and women of American 
Jewry who, in the camps and communities in this 
country and in Europe, laboring loyally in America's 
cause, wrought among the enlisted men benefits which 
strengthened their morale and helped to prepare them 
for their task. 

At a previous meeting of the Jewish Welfare Board, 
on November 24, 1918, a report was submitted which 
dealt with the organization of the Board and its 
welfare service during the mobilization, encampment 
and movement of troops to France, up to the signing 
of the Armistice. In the present report brief reference 
is also made to the matters treated in the earlier 
report and both constitute the complete record of the 
war emergency welfare service of the Jewish Welfare 
Board. 



AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCES 

Office of the Commander-in-Chief 

France, April 18, 1919. 

Colonel Harry Cutler, 
Chairman, Jewish Welfare Board, 
41 Boulevard Haussman, Paris. 

My dear Colonel Cutler: 

I wish to express to you my appreciation, and that of the officers 
and men of my command, for the splendid services rendered to 
the American Expeditionary Forces by the Jewish Welfare Board. 

The activities of your organization in France commenced in the 
summer of 1918, with the opening of a club room in Paris to 
which American soldiers, irrespective of creed, were welcomed. 
Handicapped by lack of personnel and facilities, your representa- 
tives, during the remaining months of hostilities, did valuable 
work among the soldiers of the Jewish faith and others, taking 
advantage of the opportunities offered by the larger welfare 
agencies to keep our soldiers in touch with their religion and their 
homes. 

Since the signing of the armistice you have grasped the oppor- 
tunity for increased recreational facilities, and have increased 
your personnel, opened additional club rooms at important centers, 
and shown a commendable eagerness to co-operate with the Army 
and the other welfare societies and to bear your full share of the 
responsibility for keeping up this important work until all troops 
can be returned to America. 

Will you please accept this letter as an expression of my appre- 
ciation to you personally, and to all those at home and abroad who 
have co-operated with and supported you so splendidly. 
' Very sincerely yours, 

[Signed] John J. Pershing. 



MINUTES OF MEETING 

JEWISH WELFARE BOARD 

October 24, 1920 



The Annual Meeting of the Jewish Welfare Board 
was held at the Jewish Center, 131 West 86th Street, 
New York City, on Sunday, October 24th, 1920, at 2 
P. M. Dr. Cyrus Adler, acting chairman, presided 
and the following members were present : 

Henry J. Bernheim, Joseph Rosenzweig, Walter E. 
Sachs, Charles Hartman, Israel Unterberg, Bernard 
Semel, Abram I. Elkus, Louis Marshall, Irving Leh- 
man, Benjamin Washer of the Louisville Branch, 
Leon Obermayer of the Philadelphia Branch, Mrs. 
P. Galinsky of the Utica, N. Y., Branch, Rabbi F. L. 
Rosenthal of the Columbus, Ga., Branch, Joseph Hor- 
mats of the Troy, N. Y., Branch, Maurice Beck of the 
Patchogue, N. Y. Branch, I. Weitzenkorn of the 
Wilkesbarre, Pa., Branch, Maurice Krohngold of the 
Akron Branch, Felix M. Warburg, representing the 
Y. M. H. & K. A., Dr. Samuel Shulman, representing 
the Central Conference of American Rabbis, Isadora 
Feintuch, representing the I. O. B. S., Rabbi Nathan 
Stern representing the N. Y. Board of Jewish Min- 
isters, Jacob Billikopf, Edward J. Steinam. 

Regrets at their inability to attend were received 
from : 

Secretary of War Baker, Secretary of Navy Daniels, 
Mortimer L. Schiff, Rabbi Edward N. Calisch. 

Dr. Elias Solomon delivered the following invoca- 
tion : 

"Sovereign Ruler of the Universe in Whose hands 
rest the destinies of men and of nations: Look down 



10 JEWISH WELFARE BOARD 

from Thy holy habitation on our beloved country, and 
in Thy mercy guide it and preserve it in safety and 
happiness. Vouchsafe unto it every manner of good. 
Give it of Thy bounty, of the dew of heaven and of the 
fatness of the earth. Cause all within its borders to 
dwell in harmony and in peace with one another and 
to seek one another's well-being and the good of their 
common land. Bless the constituted authorities of 
these United States. Be with them, direct and guide 
them in their counsels and their undertakings. Endow 
them with the spirit of wisdom and understanding that 
they may labor and uphold the peace of the land and 
advance the welfare of the nation and the happiness 
of all mankind. 

May our beloved country ever be the home of justice 
and of freedom, the abode of equality and brotherly 
love. 

Be Thou a shield about us and remove from us 
every enemy, pestilence, sword, famine and sorrow. 
O shelter us beneath the shadow of Thy wings ; for 
Thou, O God, art our Guardian and our Deliverer. 
Guard our going out and our coming in unto life and 
unto peace from this time forth and for ever more. 
Spread the canopy of Thy peace over this land, over 
Israel and over all mankind. Amen." 

In beginning the proceedings, Dr. Adler spoke 
feelingly of the death of Colonel Cutler. 

A memorial address on the late Colonel Cutler was 
delivered by Mr. Louis Marshall. 

A motion was made that the memorial be entered as 
a part of the minutes and preserved in the records of 
the Jewish Welfare Board and a copy be sent to the 
family. Hon. Abram I. Elkus seconded this motion 
and it was unanimously adopted by a rising vote. 

Dr. Adler presented the report of the Executive 
Committee, covering the period from November, 1918, 



MINUTES OF MEETING— OCTOBER 24, lg20 11 

to date. Upon motion, the report of the Executive 
Committee was received and ordered printed. 

In the absence of Mr. Mortimer L. Schiff, Chairman 
of the Finance Committee, Dr. Adler read the financial 
statement of the Jewish Welfare Board up to Septem- 
ber 30, 1920. Upon motion the financial statement was 
received and approved. 

Judge Irving Lehman submitted the report of the 
Joint Conference Committee regarding the proposed 
amalgamation with the Council of Y. M. H. & K. A. 
and referring to the future work of the Jewish Welfare 
Board. He presented a resolution authorizing the 
Executive Committee of the Board to take the neces- 
sary steps to perfect the amalgamation. 

The Chairman read a telegram from Mr. Mortimer 
L. Schiff, expressing the hope that the proposed con- 
solidation would be favorably considered. 

Dr. Samuel Shulman moved that the Committee's 
report be accepted and the resolution adopted. The 
motion was seconded and was unanimously carried. 

The Chairman appointed the following Committee 
on Nominations : Judge Irving Lehman, Leon J. Ober- 
mayer, Edward J. Steinam to suggest individuals to 
succeed the members of the Board, whose terms 
expired in 1919 and 1920 and to fill the vacancy caused 
by the death of Colonel Cutler. The Committee on 
Nominations made the following recommendations : 

For members of the Executive Committee to- serve 
until 1922 : 

Walter E. Sachs Boris D. Bogen 

I. Edwin Goldwasser Maurice H. Harris 

Louis E. Kirstein Bernard Semel 
Carl Dreyfus 



12 JEWISH WELFARE BOARD 

For members of the Executive Committee to serve 
until 1923: 

Joseph Rosenzweig Charles Hartman 

Henry J. Bernheim Morris Wolf 

William Rosenau Morris Rothenberg 

Israel Unterberg 

To fill the term of Colonel Cutler ending 1921 
W r illiam Fischman 

There being no other nominations, upon motion the 
Secretary was directed to Cast one ballot for the 
nominees of the Committee on Nominations, which 
he did, thereupon announcing the election of the 
persons named. 

Upon motion, a minute was unanimously adopted, 
expressing the profound sorrow of the Jewish Welfare 
Board on the death of Jacob H. Schiff. 

The Chairman extended an invitation to the dele- 
gates of the Jewish Welfare Board who were not mem- 
bers of the Y. M. H. & K. A. to attend the dinner 
of the Council to be held that evening at the Y. M. 
H. A,. 92nd Street and Lexington Avenue, New York 
City. 

Upon motion the meeting adjourned. 

A motion picture of the activities of the Jewish 
Welfare Board was then shown. 

Respectfully submitted, 

Joseph Rosenzweig, 

Secretarv. 



13 



REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 
Presented by Dr. Cyrus Adler, Acting Chairman 



REVIEW OF MOBILIZATION ACTIVITIES 

Your Executive Committee begs leave to submit the 
following report of the activities of the Jewish Welfare 
Board for the period subsequent to the previous meet- 
ing of the organization on November 24, 1918. 

It is unnecessary here to make more than casual 
reference to the matters treated in the earlier report. 
As stated there, the Jewish Welfare Board, then 
known as the Jewish Board for Welfare Work was 
organized at a meeting of representatives of prominent 
Jewish national organizations, held on April 9, 1917. 

The sanction of the Government to conduct welfare 
activities within the camps and naval stations was 
subsequently accorded to the organization, which 
thereafter assumed its tasks in co-operation with and 
under the supervision of the War Department Com- 
mission on Training Camp Activities. 

Overcoming the many obstacles and difficulties 
naturally encountered in laying the early foundations, 
actual work was begun in the camps in September, 
1917, when, following the mobilization of the regular 
army and the state militia, the camps of the country 
were receiving the first quotas of drafted men. 

It was resolved as a guiding principle to extend 
the service of the organization to soldiers and sailors 
without sectarian restriction, but at the same time 
to make adequate provision especially for the needs 
of the soldiers and sailors of the Jewish faith, whose 
particular requirements could be fulfilled only by an 
understanding Jewish organization. 



14 JEWISH WELFARE BOARD 

The growth and expansion of the organiaztion there- 
after followed the constantly increasing number of 
men called into service. As the Board had from the 
outset maintained a flexible organization and program, 
it was enabled to adapt itself readily to the assumption 
of the additional responsibilities entailed by this rapid 
mobilization. The executive staff at National Head- 
quarters was enlarged. A school for the training of 
field representatives was established. The service of 
the Board was extended to additional military and 
naval posts. Jewish Welfare Board buildings were 
erected in the camps as homes for the men and to 
supplement existing recreational facilities. 

In camp and community, at the naval posts and 
among the crews on the battleships, on the Mexican 
Border and at the Canal Zone, among Russian recruits 
and the Student Army Training Corps, the representa- 
tives of the organization were active in behalf of the 
men in uniform, joining with the workers of the other 
welfare agencies in helping America prepare an 
efficient army. 

The welfare service of the Board was carefully 
designed to make comprehensive provision for the 
religious, recreational, educational and personal ser- 
vice needs of the soldiers, sailors and marines. 

The religious program was complete and included 
daily services, Friday evening, Sabbath and, where de- 
sired or necessary, Sunday morning services. The 
High Holidays and festivals were appropriately cele- 
brated. Formal religious services were supplemented 
wherever possible .by biblical discussions and study 
groups. 

The "Star of David" man, as the Jewish Welfare 
Board representative came to be called, was a source 
of solace, friendship and counsel to the new recruits 
coming from civilian pursuits, especially to those of 
foreign birth, who in many instances found it difficult 



REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 17 

to adjust themselves to military life. No problem of 
personal, family, business, legal or military nature was 
too insignificant for the attention of the representa- 
tives who occupied a great deal of their time in 
eliminating the worry, homesickness and general low- 
ering of spiritual, mental and physical tone, through 
personal and intimate ministrations. The sick and 
convalescent at the hospitals were likewise the recip- 
ients of every attention. 

Classes in civics, American history and current 
events, literary meetings, open forums and lectures 
were some of the activities conducted for the instruc- 
tion of the enlisted men. 

The social and recreational activities undertaken 
by the Board, alone and in co-operation with the 
Young Men's Christian Association and Knights of 
Columbus, were very helpful in creating a wholesome, 
happy spirit. 

In the communities, Centers were established as 
clubrooms for the soldiers and sailors for their use 
when on leave in town. Entertainments and home 
hospitality formed an important part of the communi- 
ties' contribution to their welfare and happiness. 

At the various affairs and sociables in the Jewish 
Welfare Board huts in camp and at the Center in 
town, refreshments and delicacies were always gen- 
erously distributed to all men. 

Among the supplies, also furnished free to the men, 
were prayer books, bibles, stationery, magazines, Yid- 
dish and English books, cigarettes, matches and other 
articles, statistics of which are listed at the conclusion 
of this report. 

Overseas, the Board before the signing of the 
Armistice had already cleared the way, over many 
disappointments and difficulties, for extending its wel- 
fare activities to the troops in France. It had been 
the wish of the Allied Military authorities that the 



iS JEWISH WELFARE BOARD 

Jewish Welfare Board should not have a distinct and 
separate organization, because of the scattered units 
of soldiers of Jewish faith and because of the diffi- 
culties involved in serving a moving army engaged 
in active warfare. It had been thought best previously 
to have the Jewish Welfare Board and some other 
welfare organizations function through the Y. M. C. A. 
The then-Chairman of the Board, the late Colonel 
Harry Cutler, while in France was successful in hav- 
ing an independent status accorded to the organization 
for the prosecution of its activities. 

In addition, many difficulties relating to securing 
passports for workers had confronted the Overseas 
Department. It was almost impossible to secure suit- 
able workers under the regulations which excluded 
men of draft age, even those exempt from active ser- 
vice, and prohibited the consideration of applicants 
whose parents or grand parents were born in enemy 
countries. It finally became necessary for the War 
and State Departments to intercede in behalf of this 
Board to secure the sanction of the English and 
French Embassies in removing these prohibitive re- 
strictions, so that workers could be secured for whose 
loyalty to this country the voucher of the Chairman 
of the Board was sufficient. 

With these obstacles overcome and official recog- 
nition secured, the work expanded and progressed 
rapidly. 

This in brief outline represents the status of the 
Board's activities when the Armistice was signed. It 
will be my pleasure now to describe in greater detail 
the manner in which the organization undertook the 
responsibilities which devolved upon it during the 
Post-Armistice period. 



REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 21 

POST-ARMISTICE— DOMESTIC SERVICE 

The cessation of hostilities following the Armistice 
in November 1918, brought increased opportunities 
and responsibility to the welfare agencies both here 
and in France. The stream of troops from the United 
States to Europe ceased and instead the men began 
to return home. Military discipline and restraint were 
relaxed and provided the men with greater leisure. 

The consequence of these changed conditions was a 
great restlessness on the part of the soldiers and sailors. 
The men in France were anxious to return for their 
discharge. The necessary delays in transporting back 
to this country the overseas contingents, added to the 
anxiety and impatience of the men. In the United 
States the discharge of many men could not be quickly 
effected because it was necessary to maintain skeleton 
organizations to receive and later to discharge the 
men returning from abroad. 

This situation made necessary the modification of 
the camp program of the Jewish Welfare Board, re- 
sulting in varied degrees of emphasis being placed 
on the welfare activities which had hitherto been con- 
ducted. In addition, the introduction of new activi- 
ties to meet the altered situation was imperative. 

Personal Service 

The personal service cases which were brought to 
the attention of the field workers under the new con- 
ditions increased in number and became more diverse 
in character. In the past personal service consisted 
in a great measure in making the recruit acquainted 
with military life, and in looking after the needs of 
his family. The problems which now arose were 
those incidental to the discharge of the troops and 
their preparations to reassume civilian life. 

Men returning from overseas were anxious to know 



22 JEWISH WELFARE BOARD 

about business conditions in the United States, and 
opportunities for employment. They were given the 
latest information by the representatives on new de- 
velopments in the fields in which they were interested. 

The men had to be informed regarding the advisa- 
bility of retaining their insurance, and the procedure 
for the conversion of this insurance, if so desired. 
The opportunities which the Government had opened 
for vocational education for ex-service men were also 
placed before the soldiers and sailors. They were 
encouraged to retain their Liberty Bonds and were 
told what procedure they were to follow in order to 
secure their bonuses. 

The function and assistance of the U. S. Employ- 
ment Service was likewise brought to their attention. 
They were urged to return promptly to their home 
towns after their discharge and save their pay for the 
time that might elapse before a job was secured. The 
representatives urged the enlisted men to register with 
the agents of the United State Employment Service. 
In many instances they acted as the agents for this 
organization, securing information as to vocational 
preference and past experience of the soldiers for the 
use of the United States Employment Service. 

At the time of discharge the representatives made 
certain to see the enlisted man before he left camp and 
gave him a card of introduction to the Chairman of 
the Jewish Welfare Board Branch in his own com- 
munity or the town to which he was going. Com- 
munications were often sent to the former employer of 
the soldier advising him of the latter's forthcoming 
discharge and suggesting his re-engagement. Pocket 
wallets were presented to the enlisted men before they 
left camp, as a farewell souvenir from the Board. 

In order to enable the field workers to supply the 
men with the most authoritative and recent informa- 
tion on subjects in which they were particularly inter- 



REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 25 

ested, an Information Bureau was established at 
National Headquarters. This Bureau issued on the 
average about twenty bulletins monthly on subjects 
of vital concern to enlisted and discharged men. 

At the request of the Bureau of War Risk Insur- 
ance, the Jewish Welfare Board printed pamphlets 
explaining the rights of the soldiers, sailors and ma- 
rines in connection with insurance, compensation and 
allotments and outlining in easy, understandable form, 
the requirements which had to be fulfilled in order to 
safeguard these privileges. These bulletins were 
widely distributed in the camps of this country and 
abroad. 

The Information Bureau was also a source of assist- 
ance to the relatives anl friends of the men in connec- 
tion with family, business and legal problems inci- 
dental to their return to civilian life. 

It would be difficult from the very nature of the 
work, to state with exactness the precise total number 
of instances of personal service extended by the field 
representatives. As suggestive, however, of the large 
scale on which personal ministrations of the organiza- 
tion were conducted, approximately 300,000 personal 
service matters are estimated to have been handled 
from August 1918 to August 1919. 

Recreational Program 

The need for maintaining the good cheer and buoy- 
ant spirits of the enlisted men became more urgent 
than ever during the period of demobilization. Whole- 
some and varied diversion had always been a source of 
enjoyable recreation to the men, but was now of 
added significance as a means of counteracting the 
tedium and restlessness of waiting in camp for 
discharge. 

Hitherto, the entertainments had been designed to 
relieve the strain of military drill and preparation for 



26 JEWISH WELFARE BOARD 

the front. Military drill and routine were now greatly 
relaxed. The men were given more frequent leaves 
of absence from the camp and visited the communities 
more often. It was accordingly imperative to see that 
this increased leisure was spent in a most wholesome 
and beneficial manner. 

The Entertainment Division at National Headquar- 
ters was enlarged to meet adequately the increased 
need for social and recreational work. Entertainment 
centers were established at Philadelphia, in the Central 
States, northern New Jersey and at Boston. These 
Centers co-operated with and were under the super- 
vision of the National Entertainment Director. 
Through the efforts of the Sectional Entertainment 
Directors, singers, musical performers and other en- 
tertainers were secured for the various military and 
naval posts. 

In camps and debarkation centers and at the com- 
munity buildings in town, dances, musicals, vaude- 
ville programs, boxing bouts, moving pictures, "stunt" 
nights and special features which had formed a part 
of the regular entertainment program were increased 
in number. 

In order to bring specialized entertainment to a 
particular group of the men of Jewish faith, a Yiddish 
operatic troupe was sent to the New England, Eastern 
and Southeastern camps. The opera "Shulamith," 
presented by this company was especially well 
received. 

Vaudeville companies were sent on a tour of camps 
remote from cities which could provide attractive en- 
tertainment on a large scale. These companies per- 
formed not only at Jewish Welfare Board huts, but 
also at Red Cross, Young Men's Christian Association 
and Knights of Columbus Buildings. 

As a part of the recreational program, every en- 
couragement was given to athletics. At one camp the 



REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 29 

representative organized a basketball team, which was 
a part of the camp basketball league. The camp 
workers were often coaches of baseball and other ath- 
letic teams. 

The direction and stimulation of these outdoor ac- 
tivities were undertaken in the most intimate co- 
operation with the Young Men's Christian Association 
and Knights of Columbus. 

Recreational equipment such as motion picture ma- 
chines, pianos, pianolas and phonographs were fur- 
nished for each of the buildings. 

The work of the field representatives during the 
trying period of demobilization can best be under- 
stood from a review of a typical weekly program at 
one of the large demobilization camps. 

Monday evening — Songs and recitations by the 
men themselves. 

Tuesday evening — Open forum and refreshments. 

Wednesday evening — Smoker and minstrel show. 

Thursday evening — Lecture by officer of high rank. 

Friday evening — Religious services. 

Saturday evening — Amateur show. 

Sunday evening — Professional entertainment and 
refreshments. 

Educational Activities 

In the conduct of educational activities, the stress 
was likewise placed on those phases of the work 
which would be most helpful to the men on their 
return to civilian life. 

The interest of the soldiers in educational work 
during mobilization appeared to be rather in cultural 
subjects. The classes conducted then were not only 
instructive, but were also helpful means of diverting 
the minds of the men from the serious business of 
military training. 



30 JEWISH WELFARE BOARD 

The men now began to look upon the educational 
service as of the greatest value in preparing them for 
their reassumption of civilian duties. In France and 
in this country, soldiers, sailors, and marines were 
fired with an ambition to do bigger things and occupy 
a bigger place in life than had hitherto fallen to their 
lot. In many instances men were eager to take up 
work for which they were unsuited by ability and 
previous training. Those who appreciated their 
shortcomings in this respect were anxious to improve 
the opportunity by educating themselves for the work 
which they wanted to do. Our representatives were 
of assistance to those who did not realize their handi- 
cap, by indicating to them how they could hope to 
fulfill their new ambitions by attendance at the educa- 
tional classes and through diligent study. 

Courses were organized in English, Spanish, French 
and mathematics and in bookkeeping, history, map 
studies and current events. Other classes were 
formed as needed. Specially qualified teachers were 
secured to instruct the men. At one camp the instruc- 
tors of the educational courses were professors from 
a neighboring college. 

At the request of the military authorities, English, 
Yiddish and Russian lectures on naturalization and 
citizenship were arranged. 

At San Antonio, Texas, the Jewish Welfare Board 
in conjunction with the San Antonio Chamber of 
Commerce, organized an agricultural exhibit and a 
series of lectures on agricultural topics. The military 
authorities not only sanctioned this plan, but gave it 
their heartiest support. It was felt that many men 
from rural districts who would be inclined to seek posi- 
tions in the large cities would be induced to return 
to farm work as a result of the educational influence 
of this exhibit. 

Brig. Gen. E. L. Munson, at the time Chief of the 




Oh 



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<o 



Dh 






REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 33 

Morale Branch of the War Department, referring 
to the agricultural exhibit, wrote as follows: 

"One most valuable activity, which this office 
recently learned through the newspapers, was 
largely, if not entirely originated by the Jewish 
Welfare Board, was a course in practical farming 
and a farm exhibit at Camp Travis, Texas, in which 
over four thousand soldiers soon to be discharged, 
enrolled for the course. 

"The Morale Office, Camp Travis, reports that 
this course was so attractive that some soldiers 
requested delay in discharge and others remained 
after discharge in order to complete it. Such 
practical helpfulness is most appreciated by this 
office and the men themselves." 

The class work was supplemented by lectures held 
at regular intervals by prominent Rabbis and laymen. 
The attendance at these lectures ranged from groups 
of one hundred or more to over three thousand. 

Religious Program 

Religious services were continued in camp on Fri- 
day evening, and Sabbath and were well attended. As 
the men were in the communities more often, they 
were enabled to attend the services at local syna- 
gogues and temples frequently. 

The release of the men from intense military duty, 
also permitted of a more normal celebration of the 
religious holidays. Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, 
Succoth and other days were observed with the same 
splendid spirit and, where appropriate, with as liberal 
distribution of gifts as during the days of mobilization. 

Community Co-operation 

In the communities the local Branches lent the 
fullest co-operation in carrying out the program of 
Post-Armistice service. 



34 JEWISH WELFARE BOARD 

Home hospitality was increased and was helpful in 
warding off the feeling of homesickness among the 
men. The Community Center was made more attrac- 
tive and the schedule of entertainments was extended. 
The Branches arranged welcome-home receptions to 
returning soldiers and took a prominent part in the 
public demonstrations accorded to local Divisions on 
their arrival from overseas. 

In the large Centers throughout the country, dor- 
mitory accommodations were provided so that the 
men could find lodging under wholesome conditions, 
while seeking employment. In New York, Chicago 
and the other large cities, dormitory facilities were 
supplemented in many instances by canteen accommo- 
dations, which were offered to all enlisted and ex- 
service men. 

The local organizations were likewise of assistance 
in helping the men find employment. Their activi- 
ties in this direction are discussed hereafter in this 
report. 



POST-ARMISTICE— OVERSEAS WORK 

Substantially, the program of activities overseas was 
similar to that obtaining in this country. In the course 
of the development of the work, Mr. Mortimer L. 
Schiff went abroad on a mission for the Committee 
of Eleven of the United War Work Campaign and 
also assumed the responsibility for the general super- 
vision of the Overseas Department. Mr. Schiff was 
subsequently followed by the late Colonel Cutler who 
was in France for six months, during which period he 
took actual charge of the welfare program. Dr. Cyrus 
Adler and Mr. Louis Marshall of the Executive Com- 
mittee were also in France and lent their assistance 
and co-operation in furthering the work of the Board. 



REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 37 

Arrangements were made to secure the service of 
Captain Elkan Voorsangtr of the Chaplains' Corps of 
the U. S. Army, who became the Executive Director 
of the overseas organization. After Colonel Cutler's 
return to the United States, Dr, Cyrus Adler, the Vice- 
Chairman of the Board, remained several months to 
help complete the plans for expanding the work. 

Personnel and Buildings 

A total of one hundred and seventy-eight workers, 
men and women, stationed at fifty-seven Centers, 
served overseas. These Jewish Welfare Board repre- 
sentatives acquitted themselves most creditably and 
in not one instance did the army officials or French 
Government authorities have any difficulty whatsoever 
with them. 

Of the Centers, twenty-three were located in towns 
and were rented, twenty-eight were loaned by the 
Army, two by the Knights of Columbus, two by the 
Red Cross, one by the Young Men's Christian Asso- 
ciation, and one by the Belgian Government. 

The location of these Centers was largely the re- 
sult of changes made necessary by the signing of the 
Armistice. When hostilities ceased, a new situation 
developed. Instead of troops coming to France, they 
were being returned to the United States. The 
Jewish Welfare Board assigned its workers and 
located its buildings in accordance with the plan pur- 
sued with regard to the movement of the units of the 
American Expeditionary Forces. Thus, Centers were 
established in Germany to serve the Third Army, or 
Army of Occupation. In the same manner, Centers 
were established in the area occupied by the Second 
Army, and in the large training areas where the First 
Army was located. All other combatant units being 
concentrated upon the Le Mans area, otherwise known 
as the American Embarkation Center, Centers were 



38 JEWISH WELFARE BOARD 

likewise opened in this area. Inasmuch as all troops 
were to pass through the Embarkation Center and 
the Ports of Embarkation on their way to the United 
States, and in view of its limited personnel, the efforts 
of the Board were concentrated largely at these latter 
posts. 

With this program in mind, immediately after the 
signing of the Armistice, the scope of the work in 
the Le Mans area and at the Ports of Embarkation at 
Brest, St. Nazaire and Bordeaux was increased, it 
being considered of primary importance that the great- 
est emphasis be laid upon the work in these areas. 
Second in order in degree of importance was the 
work with the Third Army in Germany. The re- 
mainder of the facilities both in buildings and per- 
sonnel was distributed among the Divisions in the 
First and Second Armies. Centers were established in 
Germany during the month of January, 1919, a total 
of seven being operated in this area. At the same time, 
Centers were established in the Service of Supply area 
and the work extended to the other permanent camps 
along the lines of communication, so that the Jewish 
Welfare Board had a series of Centers running from 
Tours through St. Aignan, Gievres, Bourges, Beaune, 
Is-sur-Tille, Dijon and Chaumont. 

In addition, a large number of workers were as- 
signed to the following Divisions : the 6th, 29th, 5th, 
7th, 33rd, and 79th. These workers moved along with 
the Division from point to point until it finally em- 
barked for the United States. 

In short, the program was to serve, first, the men 
immediately scheduled for return, and secondly, those 
stationed in the more permanent camps. 

The character of a J. W. B. Center depended largely 
upon the kind of troops and the physical conditions of 
the area in which the Center was located. In the 
towns, the Center assumed the character of a club, 




E-N 



to 

"5 



REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 41 

comprising a social room, a library, writing room, 
meeting rooms and kitchen. In the camps, generally 
barracks, hangars, or welfare buildings formerly used 
by the other agencies were occupied, these buildings 
being extensively equipped for entertainment purposes 
and for the serving of refreshments. In every instance, 
it was the effort of the representative to make the 
building as comfortable as possible. 

Program 

The fundamental principle of the activity overseas, 
as in the case of the work in the United States, was 
to provide the maximum of service without charge 
of any kind to the soldiers, who, regardless of any 
religious distinction, were at all times welcome in the 
Jewish Welfare Board Centers and to the various 
functions. In the distribution of supplies and in the 
serving of refreshments, the same policy was main- 
tained. 

The religious program conducted was similar to 
that followed in the camps of this country, consisting 
of religious services daily, Friday evening and Sab- 
bath, and in addition the observance of the Jewish 
holidays and festivals. A total of 1,740 religious 
services were held, the attendance in the aggregate 
being 180,000. 

Passover 

The Festival of Passover was celebrated under sig- 
nificant circumstances. In 1918, the army authorities 
provided matzoths which were distributed among the 
soldiers of the Jewish faith. When plans were dis- 
cussed for the arrangements for the Passover of 1919, 
the War Department requested the Jewish Welfare 
Board to provide matzoths. Accordingly, there was 
purchased in this country a large quantity for the 
use of the men overseas, and this amount was sup- 



42 JEWISH WELFARE BOARD 

plemented with purchases made in France, a total of 
300,000 pounds being furnished. Through the assist- 
ance of the Quartermaster Corps, arrangements were 
made for the distribution of these matzoths. Every 
soldier of the Jewish faith was given a two-day pass, 
and assigned to one of the nine concentration centers 
where Passover celebrations were arranged. 

The Passover Service celebration held in Paris in- 
cluded a full course Passover Seder supper, religious 
service, and addresses by prominent representatives 
of the War Department, including the Hon. Raymond 
B. Fosdick, Colonel R. M. Lyon, Colonel Gouthiers, 
representing Marshal Foch, as well as by Colonel 
Harry Cutler, Dr. Cyrus Adler, Judge Julian Mack and 
Mr. Louis Marshall. Altogether twenty-four Seders 
were held with an attendance of 30,000, including sol- 
diers of the Allied forces. In this connection, it may 
be mentioned that the French troops were likewise 
provided with matzoths from our stores. 

The religious welfare of the soldiers of the Jewish 
faith was not only the concern of the field representa- 
tives but of the Rabbis who served as Army Chaplains 
as well. The assistance given by the Board to the 
War Department in the appointment of these Chap- 
lains was fully explained in the previous report of the 
Executive Committee. 

There was a close relationship between the Board 
and the Chaplains. The latter acted as liaison officers 
of the organization in the conduct of religious activi- 
ties and worked in the closest co-operation with the 
* field representatives. The Jewish Welfare Board sup- 
plied each Chaplain with an automobile and type- 
writer, and a special fund of 500 francs per month to 
be expended as he saw fit in behalf of the uniformed 
men. 

The most important phase of personal service ren- 
dered by the workers overseas was maintaining contact 






•* w 






i 






•r 



#* 0* 






cq 



REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 45 

with relatives back home. They answered inquiries 
from the parents and friends of the soldier and kept 
them constantly informed of his well-being. Informa- 
tion was furnished on many quasi-legal and military 
matters. The representatives wrote letters for those 
who were unable to write, and provided reading ma- 
terial and such comforts as the soldier required. 

The Jewish Welfare Worker was always the host 
to the man in uniform. A genuine pleasure in dis- 
tributing refreshments was the spirit that marked this 
phase of activitiy. In harmony with the homelike 
atmosphere of the hut, the soldier was accorded the 
treatment of a guest, and the plan followed in the 
distribution of refreshments permitted of no line of 
waiting soldiers, but each man was given attention 
immediately upon his entering the building. 

Entertainment 

Entertainments were provided daily at the principal 
Centers. A feature of the program, which included 
the usual vaudeville and motion picture shows, dances 
several times a week and special performances on holi- 
days, was the organization of units and special enter- 
tainments that were routed throughout the camps. 
These units included the "Tuneful Trio" which gave 
a total of eighty-one concerts, consisting of Yiddish 
folk songs and other musical numbers. Altogether, 
over 60,000 men were entertained by this unit. The 
most important entertainment work undertaken by the 
Jewish Welfare Board was the presentation of the 
Second Army Show, "Who Can Tell," in response to 
a request made by Colonel Lyon, in charge of Welfare 
activities for the American Expeditionary Forces. 
This show was played for five weeks consecutively, 
one of the performances in Paris being attended by 
the President and Mrs. Wilson and members of the 
President's party. Another entertainment venture 



46 JEWISH WELFARE BOARD 

was the "Dovetail Troupe," a vaudeville unit of 
unusual merit, which toured the camps throughout 
the American Expeditionary Forces. 

Altogether there was an attendance of 2,750,000 at 
5,000 entertainments and dances provided by the over- 
seas organization. 

Hospital Service 

As in the case of the welfare program in this coun- 
try the importance of hospital service was always 
emphasized. The work included ward visitation, dis- 
tribution of supplies among the sick and the wounded, 
furnishing reading material, writing letters to the 
folks back home and the performance of countless 
other personal services. A total of 40,000 wounded 
men were visited and served. 

Educational Work 

In addition to courses in English, French, and com- 
mercial subjects conducted by the workers in the va- 
rious Centers, the Board assigned to the Army Edu- 
cational Corps two members of its staff. Dr. David 
S. Blondheim was stationed at the Sorbonne Univer- 
sity and Dr. Hyman C. Enelow at the American Uni- 
versity at Beaune. 

Russian Soldiers 

Welfare Service was extended to Russian soldiers 
in France. These, men found themselves among con- 
ditions of life that were totally strange and unfa- 
miliar to them. The workers understood the psycholo- 
gy of these Russians, both Jew and non-Jew, and took 
every opportunity to perform personal services for 
them. In addition, the Jewish Welfare Board was 
able to supply many Russian prisoners in Germany 
with matzoths during the Passover of 1919. 




cq 



tal 






33 

CO 



REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 49 

SERVICE TO RETURNING TROOPS 

In order to carry out its plan of an all-inclusive 
service to the enlisted men, the Board added to its 
schedule of welfare service other activities, which 
would make for the increased welfare and happiness 
of the men under the Post-Armistice conditions. 

Troop Train Service 

The field representatives made it a practice to wel- 
come the men as they came into camp from the trans- 
ports and from the debarkation camps. In co- 
operation with the Y. M .C. A. and K. of C. workers, 
the representatives would board the incoming trains 
at a convenient distance from the camp and meet the 
men before they arrived at their destination. The 
customary supplies were distributed on the trains and 
personal service cases received attention. 

At one camp the representative had been advised 
by another worker at a distant post that a train of 
troops had left for his camp. The train arrived at 
midnight and was met by Jewish Welfare Board work- 
ers at the station. The camp was in utter darkness 
save for the Jewish Welfare Board building. The 
soldiers were directed to the hut for coffee and sand- 
wiches, the Commanding Officer marching his men 
into the hut and from there assigning them to their 
respective barracks. 

The communities made provisions for troop trains 
passing through the city en route to camp. During 
the stop-over period ladies of the Branch provided 
coffee, sandwiches, fruit and smokes. If the train 
was to make a long stop, the troops were directed to 
canteens and lodging places and advised where they 
could secure wholesome entertainment and recreation. 
In some of the large cities, a representative was 
assigned to depot work to meet the incoming trains. 

At the camps whenever an unusually large group 



50 JEWISH WELFARE BOARD 

left, the field representative accompanied the men on 
the train a short distance. The personal needs of the 
men were taken care of and the worker was ready to 
meet any emergency requirements. Whenever the 
number of men leaving the camp was comparatively 
small, one of the soldiers of the group was assigned 
to take the place of the representative. 

On the Transports 

Pursuant to an order by the War Department, 
issued on December 18, 1918, the welfare organizations 
were authorized to place representatives on the trans- 
ports to accompany the troops back to the United 
States from France. 

The Board organized a Transport Service Division 
to supervise this work. Thirty-one representatives 
were assigned to troop ships and on the fifty-two 
round trips completed by these workers, thousands ot 
men, including the crews, were reached by this service. 

In co-operation with the other welfare agencies the 
organizations presented to the soldiers on the trans- 
ports so-called community boxes containing refresh- 
ments, stationery, etc. The Board contributed ap- 
proximately $14,000 as its share towards the purchase 
of these gift boxes. 

The representatives distributed during the voyage 
athletic equipment and such supplies as fountain-pen 
ink, tablets, soap, hair-brushes, handkerchiefs, pencils, 
tooth-paste, shoe-shining outfits, games, including 
cards and dominoes, checkers and chess. 

The workers co-operated with the other welfare 
agencies in promoting clean, wholesome entertainment 
on board ship. 

Innumerable personal service cases were accorded a 
great deal of time and attention. 

Religious services were held regularly on the trans- 
ports, either by the "Star of David" man or a Jewish 
man selected from among the enlisted personnel. The 



REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 53 

traditional Friday evening services were a regular fea- 
ture and the holidays were celebrated in an appropriate 
manner. 

Meeting Returning Troops 

When the soldiers and sailors returned to this 
country, the Jewish Welfare Board participated in the 
hearty greeting which was extended to every incom- 
ing ship at the ports of debarkation. Representatives 
at Hoboken, Boston, Portland, Philadelphia, Norfolk, 
Newport News and Charleston met in all four hun- 
dred and fifty-three transports with returning troops, 
supplied the men with gifts and daily newspapers, and 
rendered service that added to the warmth of their 
welcome. 

As the work proceeded, it was decided that each 
agency should be solely responsible for the distribu- 
tion of some needed article. The Board was given the 
exclusive privilege of distributing handkerchiefs to 
the men. On account of the difficulties experienced in 
obtaining handkerchiefs in France, this gift was 
acknowledged by the men with grateful enthusiasm. 

There were also distributed "Hello" cards, which 
the men quickly forwarded to relatives and friends 
announcing their arrival, and postcard pictures of the 
various transports, together with pencils. Other work 
on the piers embraced collecting mail and delivering 
it to the military postoffice, giving information and 
advice, and carrying messages between the men and 
their relatives and friends waiting outside the yards. 

An important feature of the work at the debarkation 
ports was the visitation to the sick bays of the trans- 
ports. The workers as soon as the boat was made 
fast, visited the sick and wounded, brought them 
delicacies and smokes and performed any personal 
errand requested of them. 

In addition to the service among- the returning 



54 JEWISH WELFARE BOARD 

troops, the work at the debarkation ports consisted of 
activities in behalf of the troops permanently sta- 
tioned at these places, and also ministrations for the 
crews of the ships in port. In order to make pro- 
visions for the needs of the latter, a program of ship 
visiting was followed. Every ship which docked at 
the port was visited by a representative who estab- 
lished personal contact with the members of the crew. 

At Hoboken, N. J., a Center was maintained where 
entertainments and dances were held at regular inter- 
vals for the permanent troops and for the members 
of the crew of the various ships in port. The Center 
was equipped with lounging chairs, writing tables and 
recreational facilities. Hospitality was extended to all 
soldiers, sailors and marines. 

Caring for the "Wounded and Sick 

The hospital activities had always received much 
attention on the part of the field representatives. Be- 
fore the Armistice, the hospitals were filled with the 
sick only. The instances where confinement was of 
long duration were rare. Now the wounded and dis- 
abled were being returned from France. Many of 
these men were unfortunately required to remain in 
hospital or convalescent homes for a considerable 
period. 

The Hospital Service Division was organized at 
National Headquarters in January, 1919, to promote 
special activities in conjunction with the efforts of 
the hospital authorities and the educational and recrea- 
tional officers of the hospital and the American Red 
Cross. 

A total of fifty-four field representatives who had 
training in pedagogy or experience in teaching, were 
assigned to forty general hospitals, seventeen base 
hospitals, functioning in physical reconstruction, sev- 



REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 55 

enteen regular base hospitals, thirteen debarkation 
hospitals and six miscellaneous hospitals. 

Ward entertainments for bedridden patients were 
a regular feature of the hospital service. Moving pic- 
tures were displayed on the ceilings of the wards. 
Vaudeville shows and concerts, followed by the serving 
of refreshments were arranged. 

Over one hundred thousand wards were visited by 
the workers of the Jewish Welfare Board. Bedside 
ministration was a usual part of the work. Repre- 
sentatives came for a bedside chat, to write letters to 
relatives and friends and to bring cheer and comfort 
to the patients. Fruit, delicacies, cigarettes, writing 
materials and other articles of comfort were provided 
for all the men, regardless of creed. 

The volunteer hospital committees of the com- 
munity Branches were of the greatest assistance in 
this work. The men and women of the cities and 
towns near the hospitals brought to the sick soldiers 
the comfort of personal interest and contact. 

Among the educational activities conducted at the 
hospitals were classes in advertising, bookkeeping, 
commercial law, banking, stenography, typewriting, 
English, singing, instrumental music, Hebrew and 
Jewish history. In many instances individual in- 
struction was given to the patients in addition to the 
class work. A total of five hundred classes attended 
by over ten thousand men were conducted by repre- 
sentatives in the hospitals throughout the country. 

An important phase of the work was the task of 
encouraging patients to avail themselves of the oppor- 
tunity for training offered by the authorities. As a 
means to this end, the Board published and distributed 
thousands of copies of a booklet, "My Diary," to the 
patients of the various hospitals. This booklet, practi- 
cally arranged, contained important information re- 
garding War Risk Insurance, and the opportunities for 



56 JEWISH WELFARE BOARD 

vocational training that were given to ex-soldiers by 
the Government, photographs and descriptions of edu- 
cational activities in which wounded men might par- 
ticipate, blank pages for diary purposes and other 
valuable material. 

The Jewish Welfare Board at those places where 
no Governmental appropriation was available, fur- 
thered the educational activities by supplying needed 
equipment such as typewriters, tools of various kinds, 
desks and printing outfits. 

For the recreation of the wounded and sick there 
were arranged varied entertainments. Wounded men 
were given automobile and bus rides, taken on sight- 
seeing tours, sleigh rides and motor boat rides. Thea- 
tre parties were frequently held in neighboring towns. 
Athletic teams, composed of wounded and slightly dis- 
abled men, were formed and games played. Field and 
track meets and checker and chess tournaments were 
conducted. 

Altogether over four thousand entertainments, with 
a total attendance of approximately one million two 
hundred thousand, were arranged by the Board in 
the military hospitals. An aggregate of over one 
hundred thousand men attended religious services and 
the celebrations of the Jewish holidays, which were 
held in the hospitals. 

In addition to the usual religious activities, the spiri- 
tual needs of the men were further provided for 
through the generous distribution of religious supplies 
and accessories. 

During the influenza epidemic in the fall and winter 
of 1918-1919 the representatives were very helpful in 
alleviating the distress of the scourge. Hospital visi- 
tation was of course the most important activity. Dis- 
regarding the danger to which they exposed them- 
selves, the workers waited upon those who were 
stricken and rendered them every assistance. Letters 




* 









oq 



REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 59 

were written to the homes of the men to alia)" the 
fears of anxious parents. Panic-stricken relatives who 
came personally to camp had to be reassured, or com- 
forted in their grief. Cheerful and intimate talks with 
the soldiers at their barracks helped to buoy up de- 
pressed spirits. Arrangements were made for the fun- 
erals of those who succumbed. No act of kindness or 
mercy was left undone which could bring succor to 
the stricken or solace to the bereaved. 

Employment Activities 

The employment activities sought to comprehend 
the situation which was created by the return of the 
soldiers. It was recognized that the problem con- 
stituted a Jewish community obligation to be dis- 
charged by Jewish communities, through such insti- 
tutions, lodges and other agencies as were ready 
and able, by reason of their physical resources and per- 
sonnel, to engage in such efforts successfully. 

The Board was fortunate in securing the co- 
operation of the Y. M. H. A. and I. O. B. B. in the 
conduct of the employment activities. Through the 
assistance of these national organizations, local 
agencies were mobilized for the task of finding suit- 
able employment for the men. Special committees on 
employment were created by the Jewish Welfare 
Board conjointly with the Y. M. H. A. and I. O. B. B. 
in all cities in which the three organizations had 
local bodies. Wherever one of these organizations 
had no local constituent body, the other or others 
assumed responsibility for the activity. Other local 
Jewish agencies that desired to participate were 
welcomed. 

\ The efforts of these organizations were thus har- 
monized and brought under centralized control, the 
work being conducted in accordance with uniform 
national policies and financed by the Board upon the 



60 JEWISH WELFARE BOARD 

basis of a budget rendered monthly in advance for 
the review of the National Office. 

In every instance where there was a general city 
Re-employment Bureau for Returning Soldiers and 
Sailors, the local joint committee of the I. O. B. B. 
Council of Y. M. H. A. and Jewish Welfare Board 
worked in thorough co-operation, so as to avoid dupli- 
cation and to increase the effectiveness of the general 
employment effort of the community. 

In nine communities, separate employment bureaus 
were maintained by local J. W. B. committees. In 
twelve cities, employment organizations were operated 
by the Y. M. H. A. in co-operation with the Jewish 
Welfare Board. In fifteen cities, the Jewish Welfare 
Board established no independent bureau of its own, 
but made direct contribution of personnel or funds, or 
both, to the community employment bureau conducted 
jointly by the soldier and sailor welfare agencies. In 
one hundred and eight communities, the employment 
activities were carried on by volunteer committees 
under the joint auspices of the Y. M. H. A., the I. O. 
B. B. and the Jewish Welfare Board. 

In New York City the Employment Bureau was 
organized with one central office and seven branch 
employment offices. When the various welfare 
agencies agreed to finance the Re-employment Bureau, 
established by the Merchants' Association of New 
York, the Jewish Welfare Board abandoned its own 
employment office and joined with the other welfare 
organizations in the support of this bureau for re- 
turning soldiers. ' The Jewish Welfare Board con- 
tributed approximately $45,000 towards the main- 
tenance of this bureau. The Board stationed two 
uniformed representatives in this office, who acted as 
vocational advisers. They interviewed about three 
thousand applicants for employment, to whom they 
rendered advice and assistance. Jewish employers 



REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 61 

were prevailed upon to make available opportunities 
for employment in their establishments. Men were 
advised as to educational opportunities and were re- 
ferred to institutions where they might secure addi- 
tional training. A particular effort was made to secure 
employment for Sabbath observers, who experienced 
greater difficulty than others in finding suitable 
positions. 

The Chicago Bureau, whose unusual efficiency was 
largely made possible by the local I. O. B. B. Emplo} r - 
ment Organization, registered 1,637 men of whom 
1,477 Avere placed. Over five hundred discharged men 
were induced to enter the night schools and two hun- 
dred went to technical schools. 

The activities of the Employment Service, as has 
been observed, were not confined solely to securing 
positions. Men were advised as to chances for growth 
and promotion in various fields of work. Every en- 
couragement was given to those who desired to enter 
upon some new work which would improve their con- 
dition. Wherever preliminary educational training 
was necessary before this step could be taken, the 
employment secretary rendered every assistance to 
enable the man to secure this preparation. 

The Jewish Welfare Board endeavored to share 
fully the responsibility devolving upon the community 
in the solution of the ex-soldier employment problem. 
The local situation and particular needs of the ex- 
service men in each city determined the extent of the 
organization's contribution in men and funds to the 
program of securing positions for the unemployed. 



DISTRIBUTION OF SUPPLIES 

The following is a list of articles distributed by the 
Jewish Welfare Board during the war emergency 
period in the camps of this country and abroad. This 



62 JEWISH WELFARE BOARD 

table does not include the large quantities of refresh- 
ments, cigarettes, comfort articles and similar gifts 
supplied to the enlisted men by the field representa- 
tives and the members of the local Jewish Welfare 
Board Branches. 

Stationery 

Soldiers' and Sailors' Letterheads 20,000,009 

Soldiers' and Sailors' Envelopes 10,000,000 

Postal Cards : 

Camp Views 617,250 

Chanukah 250,000 

"Hello" 2,753,250 

Rosh Hashanah 253,000 

Purim 209,000 

Transport 1,531,339 

Passover 210,000 

Religious Supplies 

Matzoth (pounds) 282,423 

Soldiers and Sailors Prayer Books 268,046 

Soldiers and Sailors Bibles 181,515 

Holiday Prayer Books 60,500 

Haggadahs 93,500 

Singer Prayer Books 17,500 

Kinoth 5,000 

Selichoth 5,300 

Book of Esther 16,500 

Mezzuzahs 5,570 

Talethim 630 

Tephillin (pairs) 695 

Tzitzith 1,550 

Books and Pamphlets 

Song Books 70,600 

Calendars 53,000 

Maccabean Spirit . .' 50,000 

On Intermarriage 20,000 

The Allied Countries and the Jews 1,500 

Books (Yiddish and English) 19,360 

Golden Rule Hillel 30,000 

Potency of Jewish Race 30,000 

Allotment and Insurance 30,000 

Sentinel — Jewish Welfare Board Monthly 60,000 

Yeneral Diseases 20,000 



REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 65 



Address on Right Living, Hon. Josephus Daniels 20,000 

My Diary 40,000 

Fit to Fight (Russian- Yiddish) 23,500 

Miscellaneous 

Matches (boxes) 1,570,000 

Handkerchiefs 1,510,000 

Wallets 80,000 

Checker, Chess and Domino Sets 59,300 



TERMINATION OF WAR EMERGENCY ACTIVITIES 

In the latter part of October, 1919, the War Depart- 
ment issued General Order No. 109, made effective 
November 1, 1919, which provided for the transfer of 
welfare activities from civilian to Government control. 
In December, 1919, a similar order, made effective 
January 1, 1920, was promulgated by the Navy Depart- 
ment. In compliance with these orders, the Jewish 
Welfare Board withdrew from the camps and naval 
posts of the country and prepared to bring" to a close 
its camp service activities. The representatives were 
instructed to cooperate with the Commanding Officers 
and Camp Educational and Recreational Officers in 
helping to make the transition. At such posts, both in 
the Army and Navy, where its service was released, 
the Board, in common with the practice adopted by 
the other welfare agencies turned over cheerfully to 
the War and Navy Departments camp buildings and 
equipment required for the use of the enlisted men. 

Even prior to the issuance of the order, pursuant to 
which the Government assumed the performance of 
welfare activities, the organization had been occupied 
in effecting a continually progressive curtailment of 
its program, personnel and facilities. 

With the constant return of the soldiers from over- 
seas and the discharge of men from the service in the 



66 JEWISH WELFARE BOARD 

camps of the United States, the soldier population 
began to dwindle, resulting in a gradual slackening 
in the demands upon the Board for its welfare minis- 
trations. Furthermore, as posts were closed and 
camps abandoned here and there throughout the coun- 
try, the field of its activities was correspondingly- 
narrowed. 

Confronted by this condition, strict economy de- 
manded that the organization accommodate itself 
speedily and with great mobility to the situation as it 
developed from day to day at each camp, in order 
that no money or efforts be expended beyond those 
proportionate to and required by the existing 
needs. On the other hand, the obligation owed to 
the enlisted men made it imperative that provision 
for their religious, social and recreational welfare 
should at no time be insufficient. Even though many 
men were leaving the service each day, those still 
in uniform were entitled to receive the full measure of 
the Board's care and attention. 

The Jewish Welfare Board endeavored to reconcile 
the necessities of the situation by adopting and pur- 
suing a policy of retrenchment without diminution 
of essential service. Instead of fixing arbitrarily 
the time of its withdrawal from any naval post, 
camp or community, and in the meantime continuing 
its activities undiminished until that day regardless of 
a continually lessening need, it was determined to 
leave open the date of retirement from any center. 
This step, it was resolved, would not be taken unless 
and until the absence of any further need for soldier 
welfare service automatically, as it were, terminated 
the work. Pending that time, the welfare activities 
were to be curtailed and made currently commen- 
surate with the existing need, so that there should at 
no time be any waste or superfluity. 

This conception of the Board's responsibility was 



REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 67 

formally expressed in the following- resolution of the 
Executive Committee, passed at a meeting of the 
Committee on July 9, 1919 : 

"With reference to the continuation of the 
buildings, it was unanimously agreed that where- 
, ever there is an active camp and the facilities of 
the Jewish Welfare Board are needed for the 
service of the men, regardless of the small num- 
ber of men of Jewish faith in any camp or post, 
the activities of the Board should continue on the 
principle that the Board functions to all men, 
regardless of creed." 

Procedure in Effecting Demobilization 

Guided by this policy, the administration proceeded 
to terminate the formal welfare program in the camps, 
naval posts and communities. There took place a 
marked curtailment in the extent of the service pro- 
gram, the salvaging of buildings, automobiles and 
other equipment, a rapid reduction of field personnel, 
the slackening of community Branch activity and the 
contraction of the National Office Staff as well as of 
the facilities of the National Office. 

During September, 1919, the work overseas had 
been discontinued and the Transport Service brought 
to a close. 

The task of withdrawing from the camps and dis- 
posing of buildings and property was in charge of a 
Committee on Buildings and Salvage of the Executive 
Committee. A Salvage Division was organized at 
National Headquarters to administer the details of 
this work. 

The field supervisors visited the camps and com- 
munities and made an intensive study of the situation 
at each post with respect to the advisability of closing 
camp buildings, disposing of automobiles and other 
equipment and removing the workers. In addition, 



68 JEWISH WELFARE BOARD 

the field supervisors were called upon to ascertain the 
need for continuing activities in the various com- 
munities. The National Office was in constant com- 
munication with the local Branches in order to keep 
continuously informed regarding the desirability of 
contracting or concluding the activities of the local 
organizations. Retrenchment conferences of the 
Executive Staff were held daily to consider the re- 
ports and recommendations of the field supervisors, 
the communications from the Branch officials and 
the latest advices and announcements from the War 
and Navy Departments. 

The administration was thus enabled to obtain a sur- 
vey of the entire field and was in a position to take 
immediate and responsive action with respect to the 
situation at any camp. 

Salvaging Building and Equipment 

In salvaging the buildings, where they were not 
required by the Government, authority was first 
secured from the War Department. The Chairman of 
the local Branch and, in some instances, the field 
representative, was requested to solicit bids. All bids, 
together with the recommendations of the Chairman 
or representative, were submitted to the National 
Office for consideration and action. In each instance 
the buildings were sold to the highest bidder. 

The following is a statement of the buildings trans- 
ferred to the Government or salvaged : 

Buildings Turned Over to Army 20 

Camp Custer (including equipment) 

Camp Devens " 

Camp Dix " 

Camp Dodge " 

Camp Eustis . " 

Camp Funston " 

Camp Gordon " 

Camp Grant " 



REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 69 



Camp Humphreys (including equipment) 
Camp Jackson 
Camp Kearny 

Camp McClellan (part equipment) 
Ft. McHenry (including equipment) 
Camp Meade 
Camp Pike " 

Camp Raritan 
Camp Sherman 
Camp Travis 
Camp Upton 
2bldgs. 

Buildings Turned Over to Navy 5 

Brooklyn, 69th St. Receiving Station (including equipment) 

Newport Naval Station 

Norfolk Naval Base 

Parris Island (two buildings) 

Buildings Salvaged 23 

Camp Beauregard 

Camp Bowie 

Chickamauga National Park 

Camp Fremont 

Great Lakes Naval Station 
(equipment to Navy) 

Camp Greene 

Camp Hancock 

Camp Johnston 

Camp Logan 

Camp McArthur 

Camp Merritt 

Camp Mills 

Camp Sevier 

Pelham Bay Naval Station 

Seward Park 

Camp Shelby 

Kelly Field 

Camp Lee 

Camp Lewis 

(part equipment to Army) 

Camp Wheeler 

Camp Sheridan 

Camp Stuart 

Camp Wadsworth 

Total Number of Buildings Erected 48 

As for furniture, automobiles, equipment and sup- 
plies, wherever possible, these articles were trans- 



70 JEWISH WELFARE BOARD 

ferred to other camps where needed. If no transfer 
could be effected, the various items were also sold to 
the highest bidders. 

Demobilizing Field Personnel 

In withdrawing its workers from the field, the 
Board was ever mindful of the diligence and loyalty 
of these men and women and in appreciation sought 
to give them every assistance in resuming their normal 
occupations and associations in civil life. 

Where the War Department advised that a camp 
would be closed by a certain day, the workers at that 
camp were given a four weeks notice of their ensuing 
retirement. In all other instances the representative 
would be kept at his post until the need for welfare 
activities there had ceased. Provision was then made 
for the granting of a month's salary to the worker 
when he left the service of the Board. 

The following table shows the number of workers 
in the Home, Transport and Overseas Service from 
the period immediately subsequent to the signing of 
the Armistice to January 1st, 1920, indicating the 
gradual manner in which the workers were retired: 

Home Transport O'rseas 
Service Service Service 

November 15, 1918 265 .. 2 

April 1, 1919 242 7 139 

May 1, 1919 208 25 136 

June 1, 1919 177 28 156 

July 1, 1919 154 3 132 

August 1, 1919 116 .. 83 

September 1, 1919 88 

October 1, 1919 69 

November 1, 1919 55 

December 1, 1919 • 13 

January 1, 1920 2 

Auditing and Collection of Camp Records 

Before the work was closed at any camp, a careful 
audit was made of the financial accounts. All records, 



REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 71 

reports and files were collected and forwarded to the 
National Office for transfer to the permanent files of 
the organization. 

Retrenchment- Community Activities 

Corresponding to the abandonment of camp activi- 
ties was the reduction in the scope of the work of the 
Community Branches. As the enlisted men returned 
and resumed their civilian positions, the need for the 
war ministrations of the communities decreased. 

The steady decline of Branch activities and the 
decrease in the amounts expended each month for 
community service are revealed in the following table: 

Number of Branch 
Community Branches Subventions 

April, 1919 73 66,551.59 

May, 1919 63 43,028.11 

June, 1919 43 32,409.41 

July, 1919 38 20,662.64 

August, 1919 31 12,361.27 

September, 1919 17 8.167.68 

October, 1919 7 5,340.71 

November, 1919 6 2,325.50 

December, 1919 7 1,589.52 

January, 1920 4 778.19 

Reduction of Office Personnel 

In reducing the number of employees of the Na- 
tional Staff, consequent upon the curtailment of the 
work in the field, a practice was followed similar to 
that pursued in connection with the field workers. 
The office staff was given suitable advance notice in 
each instance so that the worker could make other 
personal adjustments. 

The following table of the number of employees at 
the National Headquarters up to January 1, 1920, 
shows the gradual reduction that was made in the 
office personnel during the demobilization period: 



72 JEWISH WELFARE BOARD 



Number of Employees 

November 15, 1918 157 

April 1, 1919 132 

May 1, 1919 125 

Tune 1, 1919 98 

Tuly 1, 1919 82 

August 1, 1919 79 

September 1, 1919 66 

October 1, 1919 48 

November 1, 1919 36 

December 1, 1919 32 

January 1, 1920 21 

The space occupied by the National Headquarters 
in November, 19 19, when the Government took over 
welfare work, was less than one-third of the space 
occupied at the time of the signing of the Armistice, 
one year before. 

The retirement from the field of war service was 
a task of no small dimensions. A large organization 
created virtually over night had to be domobilized and 
in the process the welfare and contentment of the 
enlisted men could not be neglected. 

It was necessary to maintain a sufficient staff at 
National Headquarters in order to take care of the 
salvaging, the auditing of records, the return of funds 
from camps and communities, the preparation of offi- 
cial reports and many other matters incidental to the 
withdrawal from the camps, and also to continue the 
welfare activities for which the Jewish Welfare Board 
was still responsible and which are described later in 
this report. 

Award of Certificates 

In bringing its war service to a close, it was felt 
that formal recognition should be made of the meri- 
torious services of the representatives and co-workers 
throughout the country and that this recognition 
should be embodied in some permanent form. The 
Executive Committee at its meeting on May 21, 1919, 
passed a resolution providing for the presentation of a 
certificate of meritorious service and a gold pin to 



REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 73 

those who had rendered substantial service to the 
Board for a period of at least three months. 

In accordance with this resolution, there was pre- 
sented to the field representatives, to the members of 
the communities, whose names had been submitted by 
the local Branches as worthy of the honor, to the 
heads of departments and employees at the National 
Office who had served more than six months, and to 
volunteer entertainers who had helped to make affairs 
at the camps successful, a certificate, together with a 
gold pin. This certificate testified to the fact that it 
had been awarded in recognition of the loyal and 
patriotic service rendered to the organization by the 
worker. 

Photographs, Slides and Motion Pictures 

During the course of its activities, the Board en- 
couraged, insofar as possible, the taking of photo- 
graphs of the various phases of its activities in camp, 
community, hospital, debarkation center, transport 
and overseas. Stereoptican slides were made of the 
most suitable of these photographs and constitute with 
them a graphic story of the work. 

As a permanent record of the work of the Jewish 
Welfare Board, a motion picture film has been com- 
pleted, depicting and illustrative of its welfare opera- 
tions. This picture is historical in its portrayal of 
the part taken by the organization in welfare service 
during the Great War. A copy of this film will be 
filed in the archives of the War and Navy De- 
partments. 

/ 
Reports 

The Board has been frequently called upon for a 
history of its organization and activities. Such reports 
have been requested by and furnished to a number 
of Divisions of the War and Navy Departments, to 



74 JEWISH WELFARE BOARD 

the French Government, War Camp Community Ser- 
vice, and to numerous national and state historical 
societies, and to other official organizations. 

WELFARE SERVICE IN PEACE TIME 

When the conduct of the welfare work within the 
camps was taken over by the War and Navy Depart- 
ments on November 1, 1919, and January 1, 1920, 
respectively, the Jewish Welfare Board determined 
that the uniformed men of Jewish faith should con- 
tinue to have insofar as possible the benefit of its 
ministrations in the camp, and as requested by both 
Departments, in the community as well. There was 
obviously no less need for the continuance of the help- 
ful, friendly interest of the Jewish community in its 
sons in the Army and Navy. Clearly, therefore, the 
organization had a definite responsibility, which it has 
sought to meet during these recent months, in spite of 
many difficulties which were created by the change of 
the military forces from the war to a peace basis and 
by the organization and re-organization in the War 
and Navy Departments of Divisions to look specifi- 
cally after soldier and sailor work. 

It has been the aim of the Board to meet primarily 
those Jewish needs which naturally were unprovided 
for by the non-sectarian welfare program of the Gov- 
ernment Departments. 

Assistance to Army and Navy Morale Administration 

As previously referred to, the Jewish Welfare 
Board, in its desire to assist the Government, turned 
over to the Army and Navy such buildings and equip- 
ment as were needed to continue the morale program. 

When the Army and Navy Departments requested 
additional funds to conduct welfare work, pending 
the receipt of congressional appropriations, the Com- 



REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 75 

mittee of Eleven, on which Mr. Mortimer L. Schiff 
was the representative of the Jewish Welfare Board, 
after investigation, voted that each welfare agency 
should contribute on the basis of the proportionate 
share of work that each was conducting at that time 
inside the camps. Detailed budgets submitted by both 
departments were reviewed and the sum of $2,864,000 
was allotted to the Government by the welfare 
agencies for its educational and recreational activities. 
Of this amount, the Jewish Welfare Board contributed 
$137,170 to the Army and $40,400 to the Navy, making 
a total of $177,570. 

It is worthy of mention that when the Army reor- 
ganized its welfare program and chose its supervising 
personnel, two former field representatives of the 
Board were selected as educational and recreational 
supervisors in two out of the nine Corps Areas in the 
country. 

Personal Service Continued 

The many post-war problems of the ex-soldier and 
his family are receiving solicitous consideration. The 
Personal Service Division at National Headquarters 
is at the present time handling approximately three 
hundred pending cases each month. These matters are 
referred by the individuals themselves, who call at the 
National Office, by the field representatives of the 
Board, and by soldiers in the camps. A worker is sta- 
tioned at Washington, D. C, to facilitate contact with 
the various divisions of the Government in connection 
with these activities, especially with the Bureau of 
War Risk Insurance. 

Present Contact With Service Men 

Very shortly after the Board was asked by the War 
and Navy Departments to continue its interest in the 
uniformed men, particularly in providing suitable com- 



76 JEWISH WELFARE BOARD 

munity activities, a field investigation was made 
to determine what were at present the special needs 
of the Jewish men in the service. The result of this 
investigation which was supplemented by many com- 
munications received from soldiers, morale officers and 
chaplains throughout the country made clear the 
necessity for the continuation of the service of the 
Jewish Welfare Board in meeting the special problems 
of the men of Jewish faith in the Army and Navy. 

Accordingly, in the early part of the year 1920, the 
National Office communicated with the commanding 
officers of the various posts throughout the United 
States and advised them that it was desirous of con- 
tinuing its co-operation and assistance to the men in 
the service, particularly to help the Jewish men to 
preserve their religious life. 

The Commanders were advised that the organiza- 
tion was prepared to supply Prayer Books, Bibles and 
Jewish Literature and also to assist in the celebration 
of the Jewish holidays. It was suggested that a Jewish 
man at each post should be designated to act in a liai- 
son capacity between his comrades of the Jewish faith 
and this Board. The Naval and Military officials ex- 
pressed their hearty approval and endorsement of this 
offer of co-operation. In addition, the co-operation of 
the communities adjacent to camps and naval stations 
was enlisted. 

The Jewish Welfare Board is at present in contact 
with eighty-four camps and naval posts and eleven 
hospitals throughout the United States. In addition 
it is active in behalf of the men in the Canal Zone, the 
Philippines, and of the soldiers and sailors stationed 
in Hawaii. 

Ministrations are made available at those points 
through seventy-four keymen, who are soldiers desig- 
nated by the Camp Commander to act as informal 
Jewish Welfare Board representatives at the particular 



REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 77 

post ; through eleven chaplains, five morale officers and 
four commanding officers, who keep the National 
Office constantly advised of the needs of the men. The 
soldiers' welfare at one of the posts is looked after by 
the community Branch nearby. 

In addition to this co-operation, there are three paid 
workers, stationed at the Walter Reed Hospital, 
Washington, D. C, at the Hospital, Fox Hills, N. Y., 
and at the Brooklyn Navy Yard and surrounding posts. 
There has been sent for distribution among the 
men at these posts during the year 1,357 soldiers 
Bibles, 1,069 Prayer Books, hundreds of Jewish cal- 
endars, Hebrew grammars, and Menorah candlesticks. 
A portable organ was furnished to one post- Seventy 
Yiddish books and twenty English books have been 
forwarded to the camps, together with English news- 
papers and magazines of Jewish interest. Checker, 
chess, and domino sets have been provided. 

When the War and Navy Departments took over 
welfare work, they provided stationery for the enlisted 
men. However the Board donated approximately 
2,000,000 letterheads and envelopes which it had in 
stock, to the Navy Department. Since then at the 
special request of the keymen in the camps, additional 
quantities of stationery have been sent. 

As further activities in the camp program, arrange- 
ments have been made for the holding of religious 
services and the conduct of personal service work. 

At the larger hospitals the usual ministrations are 
being continued in behalf of the sick and convalescent. 
The representatives and several of the community 
Branches are continuing to furnish the men with every 
influence that will add to their comfort and happiness. 

Community Interest Maintained 

Community activities have been encouraged where- 
ever the soldier needs have required the continuance 



78 JEWISH WELFARE BOARD 

of this work. Although at the present time there are 
only three Branches conducting the full program of 
welfare service, eighteen communities in addition, are 
co-operating with the special representatives (key- 
men) at the nearby camps in taking care of the re- 
ligious, social and recreational requirements of the 
enlisted men. 

Through the generosity of the communities, soldiers 
and sailors are invited to enjoy home hospitality and 
are also welcome guests at the community entertain- 
ments and socials. In connection with the hospitals, 
refreshments, delicacies and reading material are sup- 
plied to the patients. Rabbis from the towns and cities 
are visiting neighboring camps to conduct services 
wherever satisfactory arrangements have been ef- 
fected. 

At San Diego, California, where there is an un- 
usually large soldier and sailor population, the Board 
has recently authorized the transfer of its building 
from Camp Kearny into that city where it will be 
used as a Center for the soldier sand sailors in that 
vicinity. 

Passover 5680-1920 

The arrangements made for the celebration of Pass- 
over during the past year clearly demonstrated the 
essential character of the Board's services, particularly 
in meeting the religious requirements of soldiers and 
sailors of Jewish faith. 

Upon the representations of the Board, the War 
and Navy Departments granted furloughs to men of 
Jewish faith for the Passover celebration and in- 
structed the commanding officers to lend their assist- 
ance and co-operation to the Board in the distribution 
of matzoth and Haggadahs supplied by the organiza- 
tion. Altogether the Jewish Welfare Board distrib- 
uted 25,560 pounds of matzoth and 5,531 Haggadahs. 



REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 79 

The military and naval officials were very generous 
in their assistance, in many instances taking a personal 
interest in the supervision of the necessary arrange- 
ments. At one hospital where there were over 200 
men of the Jewish faith, the commanding officer or- 
dered specially prepared kosher meals to be served 
to these men throughout the Passover week. 

The community Branches assisted in the observance 
of the holiday by inviting to private homes men who 
could not go to their families and in arranging seders 
for those who could not be accommodated in homes. 
Special community Seder celebrations for uniformed 
men were arranged in twelve cities adjacent to camps 
and in the Canal Zone. Following its customary prac- 
tice the Board reimbursed the communities for the 
expense of providing meals and lodging. 

High Holidays 5681-1920 

The 5681-1920 celebration of Rosh Hashanah and 
Yom Kippur afforded another opportunity for provid- 
ing for the religious needs of Jewish men in the mili- 
tary and naval service. In conformity with previous 
practice, the matter of furloughs for the holidays was 
brought to the attention of the War and Navy De- 
partments. At the request of the Board the War 
Department granted a leave of eighty-four hours and 
the Navy Department authorized a leave of ninety- 
six hours for the celebration of Rosh Hashanah, and a 
similar period for the observance of the Day of 
Atonement. 

The situation this year was different from previous 
years. There were no official representatives of the 
organization through whom arrangements could be 
made for the holidays. It was therefore of the utmost 
importance that every possible step be taken to as- 
sure adequate arrangements, particularly for those 
who could not go home on furlough. Communications 



80 JEWISH WELFARE BOARD 

were sent to the commanding officers, chairman of 
former Branches and the soldier keymen at various 
posts and hospitals throughout the country, soliciting 
their co-operation in effecting the necessary arrange- 
ments for the holidays in behalf of those men who 
could not take advantage of the furlough and return 
to their homes. 

At several posts and at the larger hospitals, the 
Board conducted religious services. In the majority 
of cases, through the co-operation of the local 
Branch, the men were invited to religious services at 
the synagogues and temples in the community. In 
addition, the Branches, as usual under the circum- 
stances, provided home hospitality, or otherwise in- 
sured kosher meals for the men during the New Year 
and on the eve and night of the Day of Atonement. 
The Board expended over $6,500 to provide meals and 
lodgings for the men where there were no adjacent 
communities to assist. 

Special Holyday Prayer Books were supplied for 
the observance and 10,000 New Year's cards were dis- 
tributed for the use of the soldiers. 

A feature of the celebration of these holidays, was 
the holding of religious services for the Jewish soldiers 
stationed in the Hawaiian Islands. Under the aus- 
pices of the Jewish Welfare Board a Rabbinic student 
was sent to Honolulu, where seventy-five Jewish men 
attended the first religious services ever held on the 
Island for the United States soldiers and sailors of the 
Jewish faith. 

The arrangements for the men stationed on the 
Mexican Border are also worthy of mention. Through 
the co-operation of the community, arrangements were 
made whereby all the men stationed along the Border 
were concentrated for the holidays at a central place 
where services were conductd and meals and lodging 



REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 81 

provided. Similar arrangements were made in the 
Canal Zone. 

Graves Registration Work 

In February of 1918 the War Department had issued 
a general order to the effect that the graves of Jewish 
soldier dead were to be marked with the six-pointed 
Star of David (Magen David) in conformity with 
similar practice of the allied countries. 

This order was reiterated in a cable communication 
by General Pershing sent to the Adjutant General, 
July 29, 1918, a copy of which was referred to the 
Cemeterial Branch of the War Department, as follows : 

"Reference paragraph 7 your cablegram 1734, 
instructions issued in February last to Chaplains, 
Quartermasters and Chiefs of Graves Registration 
Units and Groups, A. E. F., prescribed permanent 
headboards for deceased Hebrew soldiers to con- 
form in shape, size, finish and painting to Army 
Regulations 195, Officers of Graves Registration 
Service have been instructed to substitute such 
headboards for any crosses that may have inad- 
vertently been placed on Jewish graves. (C. O. 
M. 1013.')" 

Because of the exigencies of warfare, and because 
there was no information in the records of the Amer- 
ican Red Cross or the Cemeterial Division as to the 
religious faith of the members of the A. E. F., it was 
extremely difficult to identify the Jewish dead. In the 
hurried burials it was to be expected that many graves 
of Jewish dead would not be marked with the Magen 
David. 

The Jewish Welfare Board undertook to ascertain 
who among the dead were of the Jewish faith, so that 
the graves of these men would be properly marked by 
the headboard designated for the Jewish dead. 



82 JEWISH WELFARE BOARD 

This task was undertaken in France in May, 1919, 
by a special corps of workers in co-operation and with 
the sanction of the Cemeterial Division of the War 
Department, formerly known as the Graves Registra- 
tion Service. 

At about this time, the Central Records Office of 
the A. E. F. began to move all of its data to this 
country, and the Cemeterial Division had already be- 
gun its task of concentrating the bodies of soldier dead 
in American Military Cemeteries. As a result, it was 
no longer possible for the Graves Registration Bureau 
of the Jewish Welfare Board to make an extended 
investigation in France. 

The work was accordingly transferred to this coun- 
try in September of 1919 and was continued on a large 
scale with infinite care. It was a task surrounded 
with many difficulties. It was necessary to examine 
every casualty record of the wounded, dead and miss- 
ing. The corps of workers sent by the Board to 
Washington, reviewed over 400,000 records in the files 
of the American Red Cross, and over 75,000 records 
of the Cemeterial Division. From these records, 
names of soldiers or of nearest relatives of soldiers 
that appeared to be Jewish, were selected for inves- 
tigation. 

Wide publicity has been given to the efforts of the 
Board to secure information regarding Jewish dead. 
Through the assistance and co-operation of parents, 
relatives, synagogues, Jewish Centers and lodges, and 
of the local Branches of the Board, additional names 
have been obtained. Personal investigations wherever 
possible, and direct communications with families or 
persons whose emergency addresses appear on the War 
Department records, have likewise proved helpful 
sources of information. 

In each instance where the identity of the soldier 
has been definitely determined, the National Office 



REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 83 

makes proper certification of this fact to the Cemeterial 
Division which accepts this certification as conclusive 
evidence of the faith of the deceased, so that the head- 
board may be changed if the grave is incorrectly 
marked. Thus far a total of over 1,500 names have 
been certified as of Jewish men who have found an 
eternal resting place overseas. Additional names are 
being constantly recorded. 

The Cemeterial Division concerned itself chiefly 
with the task of marking graves and with cemeterial 
care. The duty of photographing the graves was as- 
signed to the Photographic Section of the American 
Red Cross. A photograph of each grave was made 
by that organization and sent to this country to be 
forwarded to the family of the soldier. In the absence 
of adequate information photographs of crosses mark- 
ing graves of Jewish dead were being released to 
families in this country. 

In this connection the Board was enabled to render 
another important service in reference to the soldier 
dead. On the representations of the Jewish Welfare 
Board to the American Red Cross, that organization 
extending every co-operation, agreed not to forward 
photographs of probably Jewish dead so that the 
Board might investigate and ascertain the religious 
affiliation of the deceased. As the Red Cross had dis- 
continued its photographic work, the Board became 
responsible for taking new photographs and trans- 
mitting them to the families. A representative was 
sent to France by the Board, who is at present sta- 
tioned there to complete the task of photographing 
the correctly marked graves of American soldiers of 
the Jewish faith. Photographs are being regularly re- 
ceived by the National Office of the Board for trans- 
mission to the families. 

With the return of the bodies of Jewish soldier dead 
for final interment in the United States, the organiza- 



84 JEWISH WELFARE BOARD 

tion has been called upon to render additional service 
and assistance to the families of these dead. The 
Graves Registration Bureau of the Board guides the 
families in correspondence with the Cemeterial Divi- 
sion, makes arrangements for military escort of the 
body to the Jewish cemetery, assigns a rabbi wherever 
requested to officiate at the funeral ceremony, arranges 
for participation by the local community and in count- 
less other ways, seeks to facilitate the last services for 
the men who lost their lives in our country's cause. 

Included in the number of bodies that will not be 
returned to this country, there are many men of the 
Jewish faith. The Board will seek to make suitable 
provision for the care of these graves and for such 
religious service as is required by Jewish tradition and 
sentiment. There are many other problems incidental 
to this work that still demand attention. 

The late Colonel Harry Cutler at the time of his 
death, was on his way to France to supervise the 
Graves Registration work and to expedite its com- 
pletion. His untimely passing caused a postponement 
of this plan. However, the Board has been fortunate 
in having obtained the services of Captain Elkan Voor- 
sanger 1 , who recently sailed for Europe in behalf of the 
Joint Distribution Committee. Captain Voorsanger, 
who is familiar with this work, will make necessary 
arrangements to facilitate its early and satisfactory 
consummation. 

The Board is constantly expanding its program of 
Army and Navy work, increasing the number of sol- 
dier representatives and extending its service daily to 
more camps and naval stations in this country and in 
the insular possessions. 

The spiritual and cultural needs of the men we seek 
to meet by every measure possible under the circum- 
stances. Special emphasis is laid on appropriate cele- 
bration of Jewish holidays so that whatever can be 



REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 85 

done is done to conserve the religious influence of 
civilian life. 

Every effort is made to secure the interest of the 
community in the men stationed at neighboring posts 
in order that they may continue a wholesome contact 
with civilian social life amidst Jewish surroundings. 



THE WAR RECORD OF AMERICAN JEWS 

The Jewish Welfare Board realized the importance 
of establishing, as a function of its welfare work, an 
authentic record of Jewish participation in the war, to 
serve as an instrument of morale during the conflict, 
and as an enduring memorial after the war. 

To this end the Board undertook the active support 
of the Bureau of Jewish War Records that was estab- 
lished by the American Jewish Committee exclusively 
for the purpose of collecting such data. It has been 
the main source of the Bureau's financial resources and 
has contributed up to September 1, 1920, $99,633.09 
toward maintaining this agency. 

The undertaking was attended with problems of 
exceptional difficulty. As is well known, the official 
records of the Army and Navy were not accessible 
during the war, while unofficial lists were not in 
existence. The Jews in the service came from every 
section, city and village in the country, were scattered 
in every branch of the service, in many cases were not 
affiliated with any known Jewish organizations or 
institutions. The collection of their names involved, 
therefore, the organization of a systematic search 
among the men in the camps and at the front, and 
among their friends and relatives at home. 

The Jewish Welfare Board conducted through its 
field representatives and community Branches inten- 
sive campaigns for the registration of Jewish soldiers, 



86 JEWISH WELFARE BOARD 

sailors and marines. Registration cards were dis- 
tributed to field representatives in camps of this coun- 
try and abroad, in the communities and on the trans- 
ports. Conspicuous notices were posted in the camp 
buildings and community Centers, calling upon the 
soldiers and sailors to register. The field workers 
were instructed to forward all information of a statisti- 
cal character gathered by, or known to them — includ- 
ing religious census taken by the Board, or by other 
agencies, furlough records for Jewish holidays, and 
individual registration cards signed by the Jewish sol- 
diers. Through its examination of the casualty rec- 
ords of the War Department, the Graves Registration 
Bureau of the Jewish Welfare Board was able to add 
many names of Jewish service men. 

These continuous activities on the part of the field 
workers resulted in the transfer to the Bureau of 
War Records of some eighty thousand registration 
cards of men in the service. 

The office of the Bureau of War Records, on the 
other hand, concentrated upon the families and 
friends of the soldiers and sailors in the United States. 
To this end it enlisted the co-operation of all religious, 
fraternal, industrial and labor organizations through- 
out the country, distributing among them several mil- 
lion registration cards, calling for information as to 
name of soldier, home and service address, age, nativ- 
ity, branch of service, rank, regiment, company, date 
of induction, of discharge, whether volunteered or 
drafted, in what, actions engaged, and whether 
wounded, cited or promoted. 

In addition, the Office of the Bureau of War Records 
instituted a press clipping service for the collection of 
data as to all reports of enlistments, service flag dedi- 
cations, honor rolls, and all other possible sources of 
information. All army orders and assignments, 
casualty lists, the records of local draft boards, the 



REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 87 

Red Cross lists and similar sources were thoroughly- 
searched and followed up for possible clues. 

From all these sources there were gathered more 
than 500,000 records. These have been systematically 
collated and, after duplicates were eliminated, copied 
in triplicate and filed in three separate catalogues — ■ 
one arranged alphabetically, another by branches of 
service, and a third by states, cities and towns. At 
present the collection covers about 150,000 records, 
net — that is, individual records of soldiers, sailors and 
marines, freed of all duplications ; about 25,000 press 
clippings systematically arranged ; numerous photo- 
graphs, letters and documents of historical value; and 
about 15,000 questionnaires (holographic, with few ex- 
ceptions) embodying the fullest information as to 
individual service histories, particularly in the cases 
of casualties and citations. 

The Bureau of War Records reports that the process 
of gathering and verifying the data is still under way, 
hence it is as yet impossible to furnish definite figures 
bearing upon the American Jews in the war. Certain 
preliminary findings have been published, however, in 
a First Report of the Office of Jewish War Records, 
which may be had upon application. These findings 
indicate that the record of Jewish service in the war 
was remarkable in several respects : 

1. The total number of Jews in the service dur- 
ing the war may be conservatively estimated, on 
the basis of available evidence, at from 200,000 
to 225,000. 

2. Proportionately, although they constitute but 
three per cent of the total population of the United 
States, they have contributed more than four per 
cent of the armed forces of the United States 
which, on Armistice Day numbered 4,800,000. 

3. The volunteer spirit appears to have been 



88 JEWISH IV ELF A RE BOARD 

the principal factor in this contribution. Accord- 
ing to the best evidence there were nearly 40,000 
Jewish volunteers in the service, or practically 
twenty per cent of the total Jewish contingent. 

4. The record of honors conferred upon Jewish 
soldiers for valor in action is notable. No less 
than 1,100 citations far valor are on file in the 
office of Jewish War Records. Of these 723 were 
conferred by the American command, 287 by the 
French, 33 by the British, and 46 by various other 
allied commands. Of the most valued. Congres- 
sional Medal of Honor — of which only 78 have 
been conferred to date — at least three were 
awarded to Jewish soldiers. The Distinguished 
Service Cross is worn by at least 150 American 
Jews, the rare French Medaille Militaire by four 
American Jews, and the Croix de Guerre by 174 
Jews in the A. E. F. 

5. Nearly 10,000 Jews were commissioned of- 
ficers in the several branches of the service. In 
the Army there were more than 100 colonels and 
lieutenant colonels, more than 540 majors, 1,400 
captains, and over 7,000 lieutenants. In the Navy 
500 Jews were commissioned officers, the highest 
rank reached being that of Read Admiral. In the 
Marine Corps 60 Jews were commissioned officers, 
including one Brigadier-General. 

6. The total of casualties, among Jewish men, 
according to the latest estimates, was from 13,000 
to 14,000, including about 2,800 who made the 
supreme sacrifice. 

The record thus confirms to the world on the basis 
of indisputable evidence, the facts already familiar to 
the workers of the Jewish Welfare Board who were 
in intimate contact with the men at the front— that 
the Jews of America, when the call came, answered 



REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 89 

readily, served gallantly, and, in their numbers, died 
bravely for the United States, 



FUTURE WORK OF THE JEWISH WELFARE BOARD 

In September 1920 the following announcement 
dealing with the future work and development of the 
Jewish Welfare Board and the National Council of 
Young Men's Hebrew and Kindred Association, was 
issued to the public by the Joint Conference Com- 
mittee representative of the Executive Committee of 
the Jewish Welfare Board and of the Board of Man- 
agers of the Council of Y. M. H. & K. A. : 

"After the signing of the Armistice, the Jewish Wel- 
fare Board engaged upon a comprehensive program 
of demobilization work in camps and communities, and 
with the passing of this phase of the war emergency, 
the Executive Committee decided upon the selection of 
a Committee on Post-War Program to undertake a 
careful study of the entire situation with respect to 
the Board's responsibility for soldier and sailor work, 
and to the Jewish Community as such, during peace- 
time. As members of this Committee, the Chairman 
appointed Justice Irving Lehman of New York, who 
acted as Chairman, Mr. Louis E. Kirstein of Boston 
and Mr. Charles Hartman of New York. 

"Many of the Community Branches of the Jewish 
Welfare Board and prominent Jewish leaders, fully 
impressed by the success of the co-operative war effort 
of the Jewish national organizations represented in the 
Jewish Welfare Board, expressed the desire that the 
results of this united harmonious effort should not be 
lost in peace-time. The Secretary of War and the 
Secretary of the Navy expressed themselves similarly, 
and both Departments requested that the Jewish Wei- 



90 JEWISH WELFARE BOARD 

fare Board, in common with the other welfare organ- 
izations, continue the conduct of community activi- 
ties in behalf of service men. 

"The Committee on Post-War Program concluded 
that in order to offer to ex-service men and to mem- 
bers of the Jewish community in general full oppor- 
tunity for self-development and social activity, and to 
the uniformed men now in the service appropriate 
recreation and entertainment when on leave in the 
communities, suitable Jewish Centers must be made 
available. The Executive Committee of the Jewish 
Welfare Board has therefore decided that in addition 
to the continuance of its work, insofar as the same 
may be permitted, in Army and Navy camps, it would 
undertake the work of developing such Centers in va- 
rious parts of the country. These Centers should be 
based on no particular form of Jewish religious point 
of view and should be restricted to no particular group 
of members, but should furnish a common meeting 
ground for all the Jews of the community and main- 
tain those activities which would contribute to their 
welfare and development and to the strengthening of 
their Jewish consciousness as a constructive force in 
American life. 

"The Jewish Welfare Board has adopted a program 
to provide expert assistance in the activities being 
carried on by such institutions already in existence, 
and to organize and assist in campaigns for the erec- 
tion of new Centers wherever required- It will seek 
to do this work with the co-operation of all forces 
within the community, and insofar as other national 
organizations may be conducting in whole or in part 
work which the Jewish Welfare Board contemplates 
doing in the future, it must endeavor to arrange to 
avoid all unnecessary duplication of work. In con- 
sonance with this plan, a conference was recently 
held of committees representing the National Council 



REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 91 

of Young Men's Hebrew & Kindred Associations and 
the Jewish Welfare Board, at which it was agreed that 
the work now being conducted by the National Coun- 
cil of Young Men's Hebrew & Kindred Associations 
should be continued by the Jewish Welfare Board, 
but upon the express condition that all constructive 
accomplishments of the Council should be preserved, 
and that each Center be assured full autonomy. It is 
also planned that the Centers be given a voice in the 
election of members of the governing committee of 
the Jewish Welfare Board. 

"The details of the plan will be submitted to the 
full membership of the Jewish Welfare Board at its 
annual meeting and to a convention of the Young 
Men's Hebrew & Kindred Associations, both to be 
held in the fall. 

"The undersigned feel that the above plan holds out 
promise for the development of a strong national 
organization that will promote and advance the Jewish 
Center movement in America in the broadest spirit 
of Judaism and Americanism. Such an organization, 
with the moral support of the Jewish community of 
America and with adequate funds and personnel, 
would meet an outstanding and insistent need that has 
continually made itself more manifest as Educational 
Alliances, Y. M. H. A's., Y. W. H. A's., Jewish Centers 
and the like have increased in number and enlarged 
their activities, and it is hoped that the communities 
and national organizations will now lend themselves 
heartily to the furtherance of this effort. 

[Signed] 

Felix M. Warburg Harry Cutler 

Mrs. Israel Unterberg Irving Lehman 

Charles Hartman Carl Dreyfus 

Cvrus Adler I. Edwin Goldwasser 



In accordance with this announcement, Judge Leh- 



92 JEWISH WELFARE BOARD 

man, Chairman of the Committee on Post-War Pro- 
gram of the Jewish Welfare Board, will present today 
details of the plan as submitted by this Committee 
and as approved by the Executive Committee of the 
Jewish Welfare Board and the Board of Managers of 
the Council of Y. M. H. & K. A. If the proposed 
project is approved by the Jewish Welfare Board mem- 
bership and by the convention of constituent organ- 
izations of the Council of Y. M. H. & K. A., also meet- 
ing today, the Jewish Welfare Board will cheerfully 
assume the responsibility which will thereby be 
vouchsafed to it, to serve the Jewish people of the 
communities, while at the same time it continues to 
provide for the soldiers, sailors and marines the social, 
religious and spiritual influences so essential to their 
welfare. 



IN APPRECIATION 

It is with a deep sense of pleasure and appreciation 
that grateful acknowledgement is made to all who by 
their money, thought, labor and inspiration, helped to 
make the organization an efficient instrumentality for 
the welfare of the American fighting forces. 

The appreciation and gratitude of the organization 
are cheerfully extended to the War and Navy Depart- 
ments and their respective Secretaries, to their mili- 
tary associates in Washington, to the officers of the 
Commission on Training Camp Activities and its 
Chairman, the Hon. Raymond B. Fosdick, and to the 
officers in the camps, for their sympathy and assistance 
so generously accorded. It is similarly a pleasure to 
record the constant support and friendship of the 
American Red Cross, the Knights of Columbus, The 
Young Men's Christian Association, the Young 
Women's Christian Association, the Salvation Army, 



REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 93 

the War Camp Community Service and the American 
Library Association. These organizations were of 
great assistance to the Board, particularly during the 
early stages of its work when it lacked adequate facili- 
ties in the camps. It was a great gratification to 
co-operate with these agencies in the celebration of 
national holidays and other memorial occasions. The 
Jewish Welfare Board is glad to have been able to 
have assisted various veteran associations, the Boy 
Scouts of America, and other national organizations in 
placing their particular message before the enlisted 
men. 

The Jewish Welfare Board repeats its appreciation 
expressed in the Annual Report submitted on Novem- 
ber 24, 1918, to all the affiliated national Jewish organ- 
izations for their assistance. It is a special privilege to 
make grateful acknowledgement of the zeal for service 
displayed by the chairman, officers and members of 
the local Branches, who assumed leadership in the 
conduct of community activities. 

Mention is here made of appreciation for the devo- 
tion and earnestness of the Executive Staff and their 
assistants at National Headquarters, and of the field 
representatives, men and women, who served so faith- 
fully here and abroad. 

To those of the public who by contribution of funds 
assured the adequacy of financial resources, and to all 
who by their moral support brought added inspiration 
and stimulus, the Board offers as an all too insufficient 
recompense the sincere expression of its heartfelt 
thanks. 



94 JEWISH WELFARE BOARD 



PROGRAM OF FUTURE WORK OF THE JEWISH 
WELFARE BOARD 

By Justice Irving Lehman, Chairman of Committee 
on Post-War Program 

The Jewish Welfare Board and the Council of 
Young Men's Hebrew & Kindred Associations were 
both formed in a spirit of devotion to country and to 
Jewish ideals and traditions. Both recognized as a 
fundamental principle of their work that through the 
preservation of these Jewish ideals and traditions, the 
Jewish youth of America could best be served so that 
he in turn could best serve his country. 

The Jewish Welfare Board is striving to promote 
the social welfare of the soldiers, sailors and marines 
in the army and navy of the United States, and espe- 
cially to provide for them adequate opportunities for 
the observance of their religious life. The Council 
of Young Men's Hebrew & Kindred Associations has 
been seeking to promote the religious, intellectual and 
social well being of Jewish young men and women. It 
has been assisting in the organization of Jewish 
Centres, Young Men's Plebrew Associations, Young 
Women's Hebrew Associations and other kindred 
associations. It has been advising and encouraging 
such associations when formed, and assisting them in 
extending their activities and in making them more 
efficacious. 

The Jewish Welfare Board has learned that its work 
among soldiers and sailors can be effectively carried 
out only in co-operation with the communities, and 
especially with those social, recreational and religious 
organizations within the communities created for the 
all-around advancement of Jewish young men and 



PROGRAM OF FUTURE WORK 95 

women. Such organizations meet the need for recrea- 
tion of the soldiers and sailors stationed at neigh- 
boring military posts, and of those who pass through 
or visit the community. The work in the army and 
navy must, therefore, necessarily be strengthened, and 
the opportunities for service to the enlisted men 
increased as Jewish Centers are organized and devel- 
oped in the communities. 

The Council of Young Men's Hebrew & Kindred 
Associations has always been eager to co-operate in 
this work through its constituent societies. It has 
recognized that the responsibility of a community 
extended not merely to its own members, but em- 
braced the obligation to serve the country wherever 
possible, and in reference to the men in uniform, the 
possibilities for helpful service were clearly apparent 
and numerous. It therefore becomes evident that 
the two organizations, alike in spirit and working in 
close co-operation, can by a merger of their activities 
best fulfill the purposes which each has been seeking 
to accomplish. 

The program of the Jewish Welfare Board to be 
formed as a result of this merger must be broad 
enough to encompass the objects of both organiza- 
tions. For every soldier and sailor of the Jewish 
faith provision must continue to be made to meet his 
spiritual and religious needs. Wherever conditions 
permit, religious services should be held regularly. 
The High Holy Days, Passover and the other holi- 
days and festivals, should be celebrated with appro- 
priate adherence to the traditional ritual and customs, 
so that their full significance will be borne to the 
enlisted men. These religious ministrations must be 
in charge of representatives of the Board, either paid 
workers or volunteers ; and above all, in this effort to 
conserve the religious life of our men in uniform, it 
will be imperative to have the fullest support and co- 



96 JEWISH WELFARE BOARD 

operation of the Rabbis of the country, who can assist 
so greatly among the soldiers and sailors who are 
stationed in their vicinity. Thus, through these efforts 
we shall give assurance to the men of Jewish faith 
in the arm)'" and navy and to their fathers and mothers 
that the Jews of America are interested in their wel- 
fare during the period of their service to their country. 

Within the communities the program of the Jewish 
Welfare Board will include a study of local conditions 
relating to Jewish Center work. We shall then be in 
a position intelligently to determine the needs of the 
communities and how far the existing facilities supply 
these needs. This information will furnish a basis for 
the formulation of definite programs for local or- 
ganizations. 

The National Organization should make available 
as speedily as possible specialized assistance in the 
conduct of activities of institutions already in exist- 
ence. It should suggest and stimulate the inclusion of 
new activities in the program. By advice and direc- 
tion it should aid in the extension of present facilities, 
including the erection of new buildings. It will be 
called upon and must be prepared to help in conduct- 
ing membership and financial campaigns. It must be 
ready to counsel and initiate plans and policies that 
will enhance the service of the local institutions to 
the communities. 

In order to undertake this program, we must have 
trained workers both in our own National Organiza- 
tions and in the local Centers. For that reason the first 
task of the Jewish. Welfare Board must be the training 
of a group of professional workers of the highest type. 
Only as we develop such workers can the potentiali- 
ties of this social and civic enterprise for advancing 
the interests of our people and country be realized 
most completely. 

The foregoing are the principles underlying the plan 



RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING AMALGAMATION 97 

for the merger of the Jewish Welfare Board and the 
Council of Young Men's Hebrew & Kindred Associa- 
tions. Here also are suggested the nature and scope 
of work that should engage the efforts of the new 
organization. 



RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING AMALGAMATION 

WITH COUNCIL OF Y. M. H. AND K 

ASSOCIATIONS 

Resolved : 

That the Executive Committee of the Jewish Wel- 
fare Board be authorized to enter into an agreement 
with the Council of Y. M. H. and K. A's. for the 
conduct of the work which is now being carried on by 
the said Council ; and for that purpose : 

To adopt a new constitution, by-laws, rules and 
regulations for the Jewish Welfare Board, the govern- 
ment of its business ; the management of its affairs 
and the choice, powers and duties of its officers and 
agents ; and, if they see fit, to secure the incorporation 
of the Jewish Welfare Board under the Membership 
Corporation Law or under any other special or general 
statute of the State of New York ; and 

In conjunction with such other persons as may be 
associated with them under the provisions of the con- 
stitution and by-laws made and adopted in accordance 
with this resolution, to do and perform all things in 
the government and management of the business and 
affairs of the Jewish Welfare Board which may be in- 
trusted to them under the provisions of the said con- 
stitution and bv-laws. 



98 



MEMORIAL ADDRESS ON 
HARRY CUTLER 

By Louis Marshall, Esq. 

We have met on this momentous day in the life of 
the Jewish Welfare Board with hearts attuned to grief. 
Our beloved leader, Harry Cutler, who with a singular 
devotion dedicated himself to the cause for the fur- 
therance of which this organization was formed,- is 
not here to greet us with his cheerful smile and his 
commanding presence. "The silver cord is snapped 
asunder, the golden bowl is shattered and the pitcher is 
broken at the fountain." It is fitting, therefore, that 
we pause before turning to our regular proceedings to 
commemorate the friend whom we esteemed and 
honored and loved for the manhood that was in him, 
for the virtues that he exemplified, for his achieve- 
ments for the betterment of humanity, for his loyalty 
to his faith and the unselfish spirit that compelled him 
to serve his brethren and his country, even to the 
extent of dying for them before he had reached the 
meridian of his years and the zenith of his powers. 

His was a remarkable career overflowing with inspi- 
ration, miraculous as a commentary upon the innate 
qualities of the man and of the wonders that may be 
wrought in those whose souls are responsive to the 
genius of America! Driven from inhospitable Russia in 
tender childhood, a refugee from the brutality stimu- 
lated by autocracy, in poverty, but not helpless or ab- 
ject he came to these shores a boy of eight with stout 
heart and will unconquerable. Without friends, with- 
out influence, without the opportunity of education, 
asking naught of charity, he eliminated childhood from 



HARRY CUTLER 

Chairman of Executive Committee of Jewish Welfare Board from July. 1917, 
until his death, August 28, 1920 



MEMORIAL ADDRESS ON HARRY CUTLER 101 

his calendar and struggled with his revered mother to 
maintain the family. 

No service was so menial, but that he was prepared 
to render it, so long as it was honorable. His daily 
tasks as a newsboy, a bootblack, a worker in a cannery, 
a mill-hand, heroically performed, qualified him for the 
Distinguished Service Medal later bestowed by his 
grateful country and the Medal of Honor that came 
to him from beyond the seas that he had first crossed 
in the steerage. 

He was ambitious and diligent in his business. 
Deprived of the advantages of scholastic training, he 
taught himself with such thoroughness that one mar- 
velled at his mastery of the English language and his 
complete absorption of the finest elements of New 
England idealism. He prospered as a manufacturer, 
in spite of the keenest competition, and the men of his 
craft soon learned to value his ability by placing him 
at the head of their organizations, so that he might be 
their spokesman whenever it became necessary to de- 
fend their rights and to promote their welfare. 

Wealth, however, did not lure him or narrow his 
outlook or blunt his sense of brotherhood. Though 
within his reach had he been willing to pursue it, 
scarce beyond the dawn of manhood, he deliberately 
chose to answer the call that came to him from his 
country, his people and oppressed and suffering hu- 
manity. He was chosen to sit in the Legislature of 
Rhode Island, where he fought the battle of social 
justice against the opposition of the most powerful. 
He closed his ears to the siren song of temptation, to 
all promise of high office, but true to himself and his 
trust, nothing could swerve him from the rugged path 
that he had chosen. 

This product of a Russian ghetto, an outcast from 
the land of his birth, became so impressed by the sense 
of obligation he owed to the land that had welcomed 



102 JEWISH WELFARE BOARD 

him, that he enlisted in the State Militia and by sheer 
merit, became the Colonel of his regiment. No occa- 
sion involving the welfare of the state and city of his 
adoption passed that did not find him in the front rank 
of the workers and among the selected leaders. He 
enjoyed the esteem and confidence of all of his towns- 
men, neighbors and associates, Jews and non-Jews 
alike, than which higher or worthier tribute is incon- 
ceivable. 

As a Jew he felt in his heart and soul the throb of 
pride for all that his people had contributed to civiliza- 
tion and morality, to ethics and religion, and to the 
noblest conception of human brotherhood. His soul 
was agonized by the misery, the persecution, the op- 
pression which those of his faith had suffered and were 
suffering at the hands of their brutish and barbarous 
foes. Where others were moved by what they heard 
and read, he knew what it all meant because the iron 
of unreasoning hatred had pierced his very vitals and 
he hoped and prayed for the time to come when he 
might help in the emancipation of those who walked 
in the gloom and darkness of the prison house of 
Eastern Europe. That time came. 

As a member of the American Jewish Committee, 
he co-operated in bringing to success the movement 
for the abrogation of the Russian treaty. It was a 
sacred moment when he lifted his voice in the halls of 
Congress in protest against the insult that Czarism 
had inflicted upon American citizenship. It was given 
to him to labor in Paris on behalf of the Minority 
treaties which are. to guarantee full civic, religious 
and political rights to the racial, linguistic and religious 
minorities in Eastern and Central Europe. He joined 
in every effort to keep open for immigration the doors 
of opportunity through which he had been permitted 
to enter. 

He was loval to the faith of his fathers, active in 



MEMORIAL ADDRESS ON HARRY CUTLER 105 

the Synagogue, the Religious School, and in the wider 
movements that tended to perpetuate Judaism and to 
inculcate its precepts. It was, therefore, inevitable that 
when at the outbreak of the war it was found necessary 
for the Jews of America to establish an organization to 
minister to the needs of our boys in the Army and 
Navy, all eyes turned to him for leadership and with 
unanimity that was significant, he was chosen for the 
onerous and exacting post of Chairman of the Jewish 
Welfare Board, which, by his labors, was evolved into 
the powerful instrumentality that it became. To its 
objects he applied himself under the most forbidding 
conditions, regardless of his personal business, his 
peace of mind and his health until he was stricken at 
the helm at the very moment when glorious fruition 
had crowned his devoted efforts. 

Nothing that he did was perfunctory. He gave un- 
remitting attention to the slightest details. Nothing 
was so unimportant as to escape his notice. He 
traveled at night, so that he might be at his desk dur- 
ing the day. On both sides of the Atlantic he was 
equally energetic and efficient. His task was never for 
a moment out of his thoughts. He w T as tactful, diplo- 
matic and at the same time forceful. His interest in 
the well-being of the boys in the camps and at the 
front was that of an elder brother. It was genuine 
and spontaneous, free from all pretense. He succeeded 
in building up what in the end became an excellent 
working staff, and of establishing among his co- 
workers an esprit de corps that earned the most sincere 
of praise, the appreciation of those whom they were 
called upon to serve. 

Colonel Cutler never for an instant, even under the 
most trying circumstances, lost his zeal and enthusi- 
asm, nor did he ever relax in the ardor of his desire 
to embody in his organization that Jewishness which 
gave it distinction and without which it would have 



106 JEWISH WELFARE BOARD 

been devoid of all character. It may be said in all 
sincerity that a complete history of the war could not 
be written without giving due credit to the several 
welfare agencies that co-operated with the Govern- 
ment, and that a history of the Jewish Welfare Board 
would be imperfect if there were lacking upon its 
every page, the impress of that lovable and noble 
personality, that fine, red-blooded exponent of Judaism 
and Americanism whom we shall never cease to hold 
in honor and affection — Harry Cutler. 



107 



JACOB H. SCHIFF 
IN MEMORIAM 

Jacob H. Schiff lived a life, rich in enduring useful- 
ness and service to Israel, America and humanity 
everywhere. 

To the needy and unfortunate among his people the 
world over, he brought succor and hope through his 
sympathy and aid, and with loving passion he be- 
friended every endeavor to advance the weal of Israel 
and make of it a stronger and a nobler people. 

The Jewish Welfare Board at its founding and ever 
thereafter, was honored, inspired and strengthened by 
the interest and support of Mr. Schiff, who, in his 
solicitude for the welfare of America's soldiers and 
sailors, contributed early and generously to the re- 
sources of the Board, and often brought to its councils 
the encouragement of his presence and the guidance of 
his wisdom. 

The Jewish Welfare Board expresses its profound 
sorrow at the loss which it, in common with Jewry and 
the rest of Mankind, has sustained, and expresses its 
deepest and most heartfelt sympathy to his family. 



108 JEWISH WELFARE BOARD 



FINANCIAL STATEMENT 
June 7th, 1917, to September 30th, 1920 



Receipts : 

United War Work Campaign $3,666,182.00 

New York City Campaign, 1917 898,543.04 

Other Campaigns, 1917-1918 720,961.37 

Miscellaneous Donations 555,457.19 

Interest on Investments 136,831.37 

Interest on Bank Balances 16,851.33 

Salvage 143,486.99 

Total Rceipts $6,138,313.29 

Disbursements : 

United States (Exhibit A) $3,497,242.98 

Overseas (Exhibit B) 659,079.51 

Total Disbursements $4,156,322.49 

Appropriated Balance $1,981,990.80 



Current Assets : 

Cash in Banks $77,173.77 

Notes Receivable 20,000.00 

U. S. Certificates of Indebtedness 1,689,150.03 

U. S. Liberty Bonds and War Savings 

Stamps at Par 195,667.00 

Total . . . . . $1,981,990.80 



FINANCIAL STATEMENT 109 

EXHIBIT A 
UNITED STATES DISBURSEMENTS 

Construction and Equipment of Buildings: 

Construction $556,720.84 

Equipment 74,588.69 

$63 1,309.5 J 

Operating Expenses for Welfare Work at 
Army and Navy Camps, Posts, Sta- 
tions and Hospitals, Embarkation and 
Debarkation Ports and on Transports 
and Warships : 

Operation and Maintenance of Service 

Buildings $168,049.30 

Salaries and Expenses of Field Repre- 
sentatives 744,810.25 

Uniforms and Equipment of Field 

Representatives 53,161.26 

Free Distribution of Supplies, Including 
Tobacco, Handkerchiefs, Refresh- 
ments, Candy, Sanitary Supplies, 
Writing Paper, Envelopes, Etc 180,347.60 

Entertainment and Recreation, Includ- 
ing Concerts, Vaudeville, Motion 
Pictures, Athletic Supplies, Etc.... 157,711.62 

Religious Services and Supplies, Includ- 
ing Matzoth, Bibles and Prayer 
Books 102,720.86 

Employment and Vocational Guidance. 44,293.43 

Educational Activities, Including Lec- 
tures, Classes, Literature, Etc 29,456.35 

Automobile Cost, Maintenance, Equip- 
ment and Supplies 118,671.75 

$1,599,222.42 

Subventions to 165 Jewish Welfare Board 
Community Branches Providing Soldier 
and Sailor Centers, Canteen Service, En- 
tertainment, Etc 605,497.28 



110 JEWISH WELFARE BOARD 

EXHIBIT A (Continued) 

UNITED STATES DISBURSEMENTS 

Pro Rata Allotments to Army and Navy- 
Departments for Welfare Work 177,570.00 

Campaign and Publicity Expenses, Includ- 
ing Contribution to United War Work 
Campaign Expenses 56,560.08 

Compilation of Statistics of Participation of 
Jews in the War (Bureau of War Records) 99,633.09 

Headquarters Expenses: 

Salaries 191,786.53 

Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment 34,811.57 

Rent, Light and Heat 20,663.77 

Telephone and Telegraph 20,60523 

Postage 12,999.85 

Stationery and Printing 21,628.63 

Miscellaneous 24,955.00 

327,450.58 

TOTAL DISBURSEMENTS- 
UNITED STATES $3,497,242.98 



FINANCIAL STATEMENT 111 

EXHIBIT B 

OVERSEAS DISBURSEMENTS 

Operating Expenses for Welfare Work at 
Camps, Hospitals, Debarkation Ports 
and Centers (Including Canteens) : 

Operation and Maintenance of Centers, 
Including Canteens and Service 
Club 16,598,75 

Salaries and Expenses of Field Repre- 
sentatives 235,528.64 

Uniforms and Equipment of Field 

Representatives 37,881.11 

Free Distribution of Supplies, Includ- 
ing Tobacco, Handkerchiefs, Re- 
freshments, . Candy, Sanitary Sup- 
plies, Writing Paper, Envelopes, 
Etc. 27,844.52 

Entertainment and Recreation, Includ- 
ing Concerts, Vaudeville, Motion 
Pictures, Athletic Supplies, Etc . . . 20,542.49 

Religious Services and Supplies, Includ- 
ing Matzohs, Bibles and Prayer 
Books _. . 218,429.31 

Automobile Cost, Maintenance, Equip- 
ment and Supplies , 56,348.59 

$613,173.41 

Headquarters Expenses for Office Rent, 
Stationery and Printing, Supplies, Tele- 
phone, Telegraph and Cable, Postage, 
Freight, Publicity, Etc 37,636.00 

Loss on Foreign Exchange 8,270.10 

TOTAL DISBURSEMENTS- 
OVERSEAS $659,079.51 



112 JEWISH WELFARE BOARD 



NECROLOGY 

HARRY CUTLER 

Chairman, Executive Committee 
Died August 27, 1920. 



ALBERT S. WEISBERGER 

Overseas Service — Paris Headquarters. 
Died April 15, 1919. 



JULIAN H. COHEN 

Domestic Service — Camp Fremont 
Died November 1, 1918. 



SAMUEL GITLIN 

Domestic Service — Camp Merritt 
Died January 2, 1919. 



MAURICE L. STERN 

Domestic Service — Camp Hancock 
Died February 26, 1919. 



113 

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND OFFICERS 

*Harry Cutler, Chairman 
(From July 16, 1917, to August 28, 1920) 

Cyrus Adler, Acting Chairman 

Joseph Rosenzweig, Secretary 
Walter E. Sachs, Treasurer 
Henry J. Bernheim 
Boris D. Bogen 
Carl Dreyfus 
Abram I. Elkus 
William Fischman 
I. Edwin Goldwasser 
Maurice H. Harris 
Charles Hartman 
Louis E. Kirstein 
Irving Lehman 
M. S. Margolies 
Louis Marshall 
fD. De Sola Pool 
William Rosenau 
Morris Rothenberg 
Mortimer L. Schiff 
Bernard Semel 
Israel Unterberg 
Morris Wolf 

ADMINISTRATION OFFICERS 

Harry L. Glucksman, Executive Director 
Ellis Slatoff, Comptroller 



*Deceased. 

f Resigned October 24, 1920. 



114 JEWISH WELFARE BOARD 

COMMITTEES 

Advisory 

Jacob Billikopf Max Pine 

Henry Cohen Joseph M. Proskauer 

Joseph H. Cohen Julius Rosenwald 

Julius Eiseman Jacob H. Schiff 

Sidney Hillman Benj. Schlesenger 

Jacob Kohn Isaac Siegel 

Nathan Krass Maurice Stern 

Sam A. Lewisohn Oscar S. Straus 

Henry Morgenthau Mayer Sulzberger 

David Phillipson Felix M. Warburg 

Buildings and Salvage 

Israel Unterberg, Chairman I. E. Goldwasser 

Carl Dreyfus Louis E. Kirstein 

Morris Rothenberg 

Chaplains and Religious Activities 

Cyrus Adler, Chairman Irving Lehman 

Bernard Drachman M. S. Margolies 

Louis Grossman David de Sola Pool 

Maurice H. Harris William Rosenau 

Elias L. Solomon 

Finance 

Mortimer L. Schiff, Chairman Louis Grumbach 
Henry Bronner E. M. Steinam 

Walter E. Sachs 

General Activities 

Cyrus Adler, Chairman Bernard Semel 

Henry J. Bernheim Mortimer L. Schiff 

Louis Marshall Israel Unterberg 



EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND OFFICERS 115 



Home Service Personnel 

Bernard Semel, Chairman Leon W. Goldrich 

Boris D. Bogen I. E. Goldwasser 

Joseph Rosenzweig 

Overseas 

Henry J. Bernheim, Chairman Irving Lehman 
Abram I. Elkus David de Sola Pool 

Charles Hartman A. A. Silberberg 

Administrative 

Harry Cutler, Chairman Joseph Rosenzweig 

Cyrus Adler Walter E. Sachs 

Henry J. Bernheim Mortimer L. Schiff 

Irving Lehman Chester J. Teller 

Israel Unterberg 



116 JEWISH WELFARE BOARD 

OFFICE AND FIELD PERSONNEL 



Administration 

Chester Jacob Teller, Executive Director 

(From November 1917 to June 1919) 

Harry L. Gluckman, Executive Director 

(Since July 1919; Assistant Executive Director from December 

1917 to June 1919) 

Ellis Slatoff, Comptroller 

(Since May 1918) 

Field Secretaries 

Leon W. Goldrich 

Ludwig B. Bernstein 

Horace J. Wolf 
David De Sola Pool 

Field Supervisors 

Joseph B. Abrahams 

Leon A. Baer 

Aaron Horwitz 

Joseph C. Hyman 

Philip Russ 
Herman L. Slobin 
Jacob L. Wiseman 

National Office Staff 

Chester G. Bandman Louis Kraft 

Barnett R. Brickner Samuel Margoshes 

Constance P. Brown Max Oppenheimei 

Max H. Cohen Osias Ostreicher 

William H. Erler Louis Popkin 

Abraham Feitelberg Aaron G. Raskin 

Irving Goldfarb Frank J. Rubenstein 

Louis Goldfarb Anna E. Sherline 

Samuel S. Grossman Joseph H. Solomon 

Samuel Llertz Joseph B. Tarr 

Henry Horowitz Harry Warshaw 
Harold B. Weissman 



117 



Field Representatives — Overseas Service 



Etta Aaronson 

Solomon Abelow 

H. H. Ackerman 

Wolf Adler 

Rebecca Affachiner 

Rose Alexander 

Myron Antel 

Murray April 

Joseph M. Arkush 

Samuel Baker 

Rabbi Nathan Barash 
*Simon Barchak 
fRay Barnett 

David Becker 

Helen B. Behal 

Marion B. Benson 

Sophia Berman 

Zena Blanc 

Samuel J. Blaut 

David S. Blondheim 

Jack Bloom 

Lena Blumenthal 

Sadie Berg 
*Abraham Burstein 

Catherin Cauman 

Adreienne Cerf 

Irving Chayken 

Eva F. Cohen 

Louis J. Cohen 
*Leo Cooper 

Frank A. Cowen 
*Benjamin Daniels 
* Edgar Drachman 

Louis Drucker 

Maud Drucker 
f Eva G. Dushkin 

Ada Edelman 

Dorothy Edison 

Jennie Eisenberg 

H. G. Enelow 

Emanuel Epstein 

Mattie Feinberg 

Ida Feldman 
*Max Felshin 



Ella Fleishman 
Bessie Fox 
Rebecca Fox 
Henri Frank 
Irving H. Frank 
Harry Frankel 
Rita Freeman 
Abraham Friptu 
Jeanette Frisch 
Margaret Fromm 
Newton Gardiner 
Celia Gassen 
Simon Gazan 
Benjamin Giffin 
Saul Gilbert 
Beatrice Goldber 
Eleanor Goldberg 
Isabel Goldberg 

*Simon Goldberg 
Joseph A. Golde 

*John Goldhaar 

*Paul Goldman 
Ralph Goldman 

*Jacob Goldstein 
Lillian Goodman 
Ida Gordon 
Rose Gordon 
Saul Gorson 
Lillian E. Gottlieb 
Zelda Greenberg 
Esther C. Haber 
Solomon Heimann 
Gertrude Heyman 
Rita Hocheimer 
Edward Israel 
Emanuel Jack 
Morris L. Jacobs 
Lillian L. Jacoby 
Rebecca Joffe 
Sarah Kamrass 
Ruth Kann 
Samuel Kaplan 
Reuben Kaufman 
Esther B. Klein 



*Also field representative Domestic Service. 
fAlso member National Office Staff. 



118 



JEWISH WELFARE BOARD 



Ray Klein 

Abraham Klubock 

Morris Kramer 

Louis L. Krauss 

Sara Landman 

Esther Levy 

Lester Levin 

Felix Levy 

Regina Levy 

Howard Lichtenstein 

Lenora Liman 

Ethel Lipman 

Ada Loewy 

Louis Luxembourg 

Rose Lutsky 
*Meyer Magui 

David Manning 

Louis Marckwald 

Eugenie Marx 

Essie Michael 
*Lawrence J. Michaels 

Leo Mielziner 

Rose Minzesheimer 
*Clifton L. Moise 

Henrietta Moscowitz 

Marcella Moscowitz 

Fannie Newman 

Edith Odes 

Joseph Pedott 

Cyrilla Perlman 

Ray Perlman 

Minnie Rabinowitz 

Reuben Rabinowitz 

Lawrence Rich 
*Solon J. Rieser 

Isabel Rinaldo 

Charles Rivitz 

George Rooby 

Albert Rosenberg 

Harry Rosenberg 

Julia Rosenberg 



Ruth Rosenberg 

Edward Rosenblum 

Esther Rosenfield 
* Abraham Rosenstein 
*David Rosenthal 

Leonard J. Rothstein 

Anna Rubenstein 

Henry J. Sachs 

David Satz 
*Samuel Schaeffer 

Rena Schloss 

William A. Schwab 

Sophie Serber 

Hannah Shulman 

Bessie Spanner 

Elizabeth Steinbrook 

Marjorie Steindler 

Nathan Stember 

Abe Shefferman 
*Harry Shapiro 

Leonard Louis Shapiro 
*Edward Shulman 
*William S. Sindey 

Matilda Solomon 
*Leo Sorrin 
*Leo Stirn 

Miriam Teichner 

Louis Truehaft 

Eva Volport 

Elkan C. Voorsanger 

Abraham Weil 

A. S. Weisberger 

A. L. Weinstock 

Rose Weisman 

Jerome Wertheimer 

Rose Williams 

Adele Winston 

Aaron Wirpel 

Rose Wolf son 

Evelyn Mae Younger 

William Zuckerman 



*Also field representative Domestic Service, 
f Also member National Office Staff. 



119 



Field Representatives — Domestic Service 



Abraham Aaron 
David Aaronson 
Isadore Abelson 
William Ackerman 
Isaac Adler 
A. S. Albrecht 
Herman Alof sin 
William Alter 
Ernest J. Altman 
Benj. S. Applestein 
H. L. Arenson 
Frank Astor 
H. H. Auerbach 
Joseph Balaban 
Robert Bandes 
A. A. Barnett 
Isadore Barsky 
Alvin D. Baumgarten 
Levi Becker 
Irving Beckhardt 
Samuel Belinkoff 
Abraham Beresofsky 
H.J. Berkowitz 
Joseph Berkowitz 
Alexander Berlin 
Jacob Berlin 
Jerome M. Bernstein 
Leo B. Bernstein 
David Blank 
Joseph Blatt 
Nathan Blechman 
Joshua Bloch 
David Mitchell Blum 
Henry Blum 
Chas. Blumenthal 
Samuel C. Blumenthal 
Samuel J. Bosniak 
David S. Bond 
Philip Braunstein 
Meyer Braverman 
Nathan Brenner 
Edward Brodstein 
Abraham Bronstein 



M. M. Brooks 
Sol. Buchwald 
David S. Cahan 
Morris Cahan 
S. S. Cahan 
Simon A. Cohen 
Walter Caminer 
A. Caplan 
Leon Chassey 
Samuel Chassey 
Morris Clark 
E. A. R. Cohen 
G. G. Cohen 
Joseph Cohen 
Julian H. Cohen 
Louis Cohen 
Max Cohen 
Max H. Cohen 
Max I. Cohen 
Milton E. Cohen 
Isadore Cohen 
Robert Myron Cohen 
A. D. G. Cohn 
Theodore J. Comparte 
Camuel Cornick 
Leonard Cowen 

0. R. Cummins 

1. Davidoff 
Morris M. Davidow 
Harry E. Davis 
Arthur K. Deutsch 
Louis Diamond 

E. Z. Dimitman 

A. E. Dobrin 
Isadore Dominitz 
Frank S. Dreeban 
Samuel Dreyfoos 
Moses J. Eckstein 

B. C. Ehrenreich 
Benj. Eisenstein 
Chas. H. Eliscu 
Alexander Elishewitz 
Nathan Elkin 



120 



JEWISH WELFARE BOARD 



M. J. Escoll 
Harry Ettleson 
Meyer Caspar Falkoff 
Jacob Faller 
Isaac Feinstein 
David L. Feldman 
Harry Feldman 
David Fichman 
Abraham A. Finkelstein 
S. S. Finkelstein 
Israel Flapin 
Max Flax 
Solomon Foster 
Emanuel E. Fox 
Leo J. Frachtenberg 
S.J. Frank 
Solomon Fredman 
Morris A. Freed 
Frank E. Freedman 
Monroe M. Freedman 
A. N. Freiberg 
Joseph R. Freifeld 
Chas. Fried 
Chas. X. Fried 
Michael Fried 
Marcus Friedlander 
Moses Friedlander 
Alfred Friedlich 
Nathan Friedman 
Max M. Friedman 
Samuel C. Friedman 
S. H. Friedman 
Richard A. Friedson 
Ephraim Frisch 
Max M. Fritz 
Chas. Freund 
J. L. Gabel 
David Gittleson 
Dr. Samuel Gerson 
M. H. Gel f and 
Samuel Ghinsburg 
Mathew I. Ginsburg 
Nathaniel Ginsberg 
H. Hart Gilfix 
Samuel Gitlin 
Henry Gittler 
Julius B. Gluck 
Herman O. Gomn 
A. P. Goldberg 



Louis J. Goldberg 
M. M. Goldberg 
Henry M. Goldman 
Herbert C. Goldman 
Julius Goldman 
Max L. Goldman 
Harry T. Goldsmith 
Samuel T. Goldsmith 
David J. Goldstein 
Isador Goldstein 
Jacob Goldstein 
Max A. Goldstein 
Jacob S. Golub 
Edward Goodman 
Meyer Gordon 
Abraham A. Goretsky 
H. C. Gorin 
Jaques Gottlieb 
J. L. Gould 
Louis Greenbaum 
Max Greenberg 
Harry Greene 
Louis D. Greenzweig 
Benj. S. Gross 
Alexander Grossman 
Arthur S. Grossman 
Lazar Grossman 
Louis J. Grossman 
Fred. L. Guggenheimer 
Felix Haas 
L. J. Hass 
Sigmund Haiman 
D. F. Harris 
Gilbert Harris 
Samuel Harris 
Joseph Hassner 
D. S. Hausman 
Bernard Heller 
Nathan Herzog 
Robert A. Hess 
Nathaniel Hirsch 
Henry Hirschson 
Julius Hochfelder 
Chas. Hoffman 
William Hoffman 
A. Holtzberg 
Chas. Horn 
Walter Hyams 
Moses Hyamson 



FIELD REPRESENTATIVES— DOMESTIC SERVICE 121 



Henry Hyman 
Max C. Isaac 
Isadore Isaacson 
Charles Israel 
Louis Israel 
Louis Isbitz 
L. H. Jackson 
Isadore Jacobson 
Cyrus J. Janover 
Isidor Krillow 
Burnett S. Jordan 
Theodore F. Joseph 
Adolph Jungman 
A. E. Kallman 
Israel Kaminsky 
Maurice J. Karpf 
A. M. Kaplan 
Jacob Kaplowitt 
L. I. Kaplan 
J. H. Kaplan 
Jacob Kartman 
Emil Katzka 
Benj. Kaufman 
Nathan Kaufman 
Samuel B. Kaufman 
Henry Kay 
Mandie Kay 
Samuel Keiser 
W. S. Kellner 
Samuel J. Kessler 
J. Kirshenbaum 
Emil Klein 
A. S. Kleinfeld 
H. S. Kline 
Arthur S. Kling 
Boris Komar 
Mordecai Konowitz 
Louis J. Kopald 
Hyman S. Kraft 
William Kraft 
S. L. Kregarmer 
Saul Krohnengold 
Leon Kupperman 
Samuel Kurcias 
Albert B. Kurtz 
Harry Kurzman 
J. Landau 



Sol Landman 
Phil. A. Langh 
Solomon Lasky 
Morris Lavetts 
Lawrence Lavine 
B. G. Lazareff 
Morris Lazaron 
Harry Lebowsky 
Max Leichtman 
Joseph Leiser 
Fred P. Leve 
Bernard I. Levine 
Davis Levine 
Harry Levine 
Morris Levine 
Lee J. Levinger 
M. M. Levinson 
A. A. Levinthal 
Harry Levor 
Hyman Lewin- Epstein 
Maxwell Lewis 
Morris Lewy 
Philip Lewy 
D. H. Light 
Alvin Linker 
Benj. Lorber 
George Lowenstein 
George Lubinsky 
Alvin Luchs 
*Harry Mackler 
Philip Madden 
Edgar Magnin 
Samuel Makoff 
Hyman Malachoff 
Chas. Mantinband 
Israel W. Marcus 
James Marcus 
Chas. Margold 
H. S. Margolies 
H. Z. Markowitz 
L. H. Markson 
Melville Marx 
David C. Matt 
Joseph Mellen 
Benj. Meltzer 
Henry Mendels 
I. H. Mendelsohn 



*Also member of Central Office Staff. 



122 



JEWISH WELFARE BOARD 



S. Felix Mendelsohn 
B. Menkes 
Max J. Merritt 
J. Merfield 
William Messer 
Frank Michael 
Harry Michaelson 
Julian H. Miller 
Samuel Mirkin 
William Mithell 
Bernard Modell 
Henry Morris 
A. G. Moses 
Jacob L. Mueller 
Max Munves 
Lewis M. Neikrug 
Morris Newfield 
H. H. Nussbaum 
Herman Okun 
I. L. Orleans 
Chas. L. Ornstein 
F. J. Ostrow 
M. P. Ostrow 
Hyman Padway 
Lesser Paley 
Alvin A. Paul 
M. H. Pehr 
Emil J. Perlberg 
Louis Phillips 
I. E. Philo 
Bernard Pines 
George H. Pins 
Samuel Pitchel 
Robert S. Pollack 
Benj. Posner 
Samuel Pressman 
I. S. Privul 
♦George W. RabinofT 
Benj . Rabinowitz 
Isadore Rabinowitz 
N. Rabinowitz 
J. Raisin 
Julius Raphael 
Saul Raskin 
Irving Ravett 
Louis Raymon 
Irving Reichert 



Isadore Reichert 
Philip Reichert 
Victor E. Reichert 
A. A. Reichman 
Malvin Reinheimer 
A. B. Rhine 

Abraham N. Richardson 
Hernani Rieser 
Joseph Riseman 
Leo Rosen 
Sam Rosen 
H. J. Rosenbaum 

A. L. Rosenberg 
H. I. Rosenberg 
H. G. Rosenblum 
Arthur Rosen f eld 
Walter J. Rosenfield 
Joseph S. Rosenthal 

B. W. Roth 
Samuel Roth 
Joseph Rothstein 
Harry Rotkowitz 
George Rubenstein 
Leonard Rubenstein 
Louis H. Rusga 

A. S. Sacks 
Harry Sackler 
Harry Sandow 
Elconon Saulson 
Aaron Schacne 
Gilbert F. Schamberg 
Philip Schiller 
Herbert B. Schoenblum 
Morris Schreiber 
Max Schreibstein 
Bernard Schubert 
Abraham M. Schultz 
Salvadore J. Schwab 
S. L. Schwade 
Emanuel Schwartz 
Wm, B. Schwartz 
William Schwartzman 
David Scott 
Alfred Seelenfreund 
Louis M. Seelenfreund 
Max L. Seidenman 
Alvin W. Seligman 



*Also member of Central Office Staff. 



FIELD REPRESENTA TIVES— DOMESTIC SERVICE 123 



Louis A. Shapiro 

Adolph Shirpser 

Joseph I. Shor 

A. H. Shluger 
* Abraham Shoul 

William Siegel 

Isadore Siegeltuch 

Maxwell Silver 

Jacob Silverman 

Nathan Silverstein 

Bertram H. Simon 

Harry Simon 

Jesse A. Simonson 

Arthur Simpkins 

Joseph Singer 

Jacob Skirball 

David L. Slater 

Abraham D. Slatoff 

Julius C. Smith 

William Smith 

M. G. Smolensky 

George Solomon 

Leo M. Solomon 

Isadore Sondheim 

Merle Spandau 

Maurice R. Spear 

Louis Spector 

Leon Spitz 

Jacob Sterrman 

William H. Stein 

Alexander A. Steinbach 

Joseph Steiner 

Henry Steiner 

Bernard J. Stern 

Frank Stern 

Henry W. Stern 

Maurice L. Stern 

Harry Sternfield 

William Sternseher 

Samuel Stickle 

Joseph S. Stovin 

Henry A. Strauss 

Joseph Strauss 

Sidney Strauss 
♦Maurice Suravitz 

L. Suskyn 

Nathaniel Suzmer 

J. J. Taubenhaus 



Morris Teller 
Sidney A. Thorman 
Benjamin A. Tintner 
Jacob Tarshish 
Jacob Turner 
Henry Unger 
Leon Urbach 
Arthur Van Kleef 
Hartog Veld 
L. L. Vogel 
I. Warsaw 
Jacob Wattenmaker 
Victor M. Weil 
Alex S. Weinberg 
Harry E. Weinberg 
Edwin S. Weiner 
Jack Weinstein 
Jacob Weiss 
Maurice Weiss 
William Welber 
Harvey Wessel 
Simon Wienir 
Nathan Wilchins 
I. J. Williams 
Harold S. Wiseman 
Bernard Wolf 
Sol. M. Wolffson 
Joseph A. Wolf 
Chas. Wortzman 
Aaron Yaffe 
Jack Yellen 
H. L. Young 
Isadore Zackheim 
William Ziff 
Samuel Zuckerman 
Jacob Bashin 
Leo C. Baum 
Lazarus J. Brother 
Jacob S. Cooley 
Nathan I. Diamond 
Edward Fauer 
Joseph K. Feingold 
Jacob Rosen Freifeld 
James H. Coller 
David Heilbrun 
William V. Joel 
Benjamin Rosenthal 
Jacob S. Stone 



*Also member of Central Office Staff. 



124 JEWISH WELFARE BOARD 



COMMUNITY BRANCHES OF THE JEWISH WELFARE 
BOARD AND CHAIRMEN 



Akron, Ohio Maurice Krohngold 

Albany, New York A. P. Lewis 

Alexandria, Louisiana Mrs. M. Heyman 

Alexandria, Virginia Leopold Rushan 

Allentown, Pennsylvania M. L. Fecheimer 

Altoona, Pennsylvania Isaiah Scheeline 

Anniston, Alabama Mortimer S. Sterne 

Asheville, North Carolina Julius Lowenbein 

Atlanta, Georgia M. F. Goldstein 

Atlantic City, New Jersey Harry Cassman 

Auburn & Lewiston, Maine A. Mandelston 

Augusta, Georgia Aaron Silver 

Austin, Texas Joe Koen 

Baltimore, Maryland William Levy 

Battle Creek, Michigan Sol Rosenfeld 

Bay City, Michigan Edward Lichtig 

Bayonne, New Jersey Sam S. Cohen 

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania J. G. Beilin 

Boston, Massachusetts Carl Dreyfus 

Bridgeport, Connecticut J. B. Klein 

Brockton, Massachusetts Abraham J. Freedman 

Brooklyn, New York Adolph Feldblum 

Brooklyn Women's Branch, 

New York Mrs. Slomka 

Brownsville, Texas A. Ashamine 

Bryan, Texas Joe Gelber 

Buffalo, New York Rudolph J. Warner 

Burlington, Vermont Charles Levin 

Butte, Montana William Meyer 

Camden, New Jersey Mayer Segal 

Canton, Ohio Herbert Strauss 

Carlisle, Pennsylvania Charles Berg 

Charlotte, North Carolina Will Weill 

Charleston, South Carolina Leo Wetherhorn 

Chattanooga, Tennessee.'. Paul Heyman 

Cheyenne, Wyoming Louis Lipson 

Chicago, Illinois M. E. Greenebaum 

Chillicothe, Ohio Sam L. Segal 

Cincinnati, Ohio Harry Hoffheimer 

Cleveland, Ohio Louis Wolsey 

Columbia, South Carolina August Kohn 

Columbus, Georgia F. L. Rosenthal 

Columbus, Ohio Max Topper 



COMMUNITY BRANCHES 125 



Corpus Christi, Texas Alex Weil 

Dallas, Texas H. S. Scheline 

Dayton, Ohio S. G. Kusworm 

Denver, Colorado C. E. H. Kauvar 

Des Moines, Iowa David Oransky 

Detroit, Michigan Fred Butzel 

Dover, New Jersey Samuel G. Meyerson 

Douglas, Arizona David Benshimol 

Easton, Pennsylvania David Levy 

Elmira, New York Nathan Bimberg 

El Paso, Texas Samuel Given 

Erie, Pennsylvania Henry L. Zacks 

Far Rockaway, New York Isaac Landman 

Fitchburg, Massachusetts Lewis Rome 

Flint, Michigan Harry Winegarden 

Fort Wayne, Indiana Mrs. Frieda Strauss 

Fort Worth, Texas George Fox 

Fredericksburg, Virginia David Hirsh 

Gary, Indiana J. Propper 

Grand Rapids, Michigan G. A. Wolf 

Greensboro, North Carolina Sidney J. Stern 

Greenville, South Carolina Alexander Meyer 

Gulf port, Mississippi I. B. Rau 

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Henry C. Claster 

Hartford, Connecticut Maurice Hartman 

Hattiesburg, Mississippi Herman Katz 

High Point, North Carolina . . . Philip A. Silver 

Hoboken, New Jersey Herman Geismar 

Holyoke, Massachusetts Jacob L. Barowsky 

Houston, Texas Meyer C. Wagner 

Indianapolis, Indiana Morris M. Feuerlicht 

Jacksonville, Florida Emil Bernstein 

Jackson, Michigan J. B. Wolf 

Kalamazoo, Michigan Sam Folz 

Kansas City, Missouri Samuel Loebenstein 

Kenosha, Wisconsin J. D. Rosenblum 

Kingston, New York Morris Kaplan 

Knoxville, Tennessee I. Winick 

Lafayette, Indiana Mrs. Moses Schultz 

Lakewood, New York Abraham Jacobson 

Lancaster, Pennsylvania Edward Rosenstein 

Laredo, Texas Ferdinand Wormser 

Lincoln, Nebraska Jacob Singer 

Little Rock, Arkansas Theodore D. Abeles 

Los Angeles, California E. M. Reise 

Lowell, Massachusetts Solomon Baker 

Louisville, Kentucky Benj. S. Washer 

Macon, Georgia Morris Michael 

Madison, Wisconsin L. B. Wolfenson 



126 



JEWISH WELFARE BOARD 



Manchester, New Hampshire.. Abraham Machinist 

Marion, Ohio Henry Strelitz 

McKeesport, Pennsylvania Joseph H. Ruben 

Meriden, Connecticut Nathan I. Dimond 

Meridian, Mississippi A. Brill 

Middletown, New York L. Stern 

Middletown, Ohio Ed. Hirsch 

Milwaukee, Wisconsin Chas. Levi 

Minneapolis, Minnesota ) ,, . „, 1fl: 

St. Paul, Minnesota \ Maunce Wolff 

Montgomery, Alabama Chas. F. Moritz 

Monmouth County, 

Long Branch, N. J. ) 

Red Bank, N. J. > Isaac Berger 

Asbury Park, N. J. ) 

Montpelier & Barre, Vermont . . Isaac Aaron 

Nashua, New Hampshire M. M. Kaplan 

Nashville, Tennessee Leopold Jones 

Newark, New Jersey Felix Fuld 

New Castle, Pennsylvania Marcus Feuchtwanger 

New London, Connecticut Perry J. Hollandersky 

New Orleans, Louisiana Ralph J. Schwarz 

Newport News, Virginia Sol Peyser 

New Rochelle, New York Lewis K. Goldman 

New York, New York Leon L. Watters 

New York Teachers Branch, Misg R B , um 

New York 

Niagara Falls, New York Ben. Friedman 

Norfolk, Virginia Moe Levy 

Norwich, Connecticut Herman Alof sin 

Nyack, New York Benj. Levison 

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma LB. Levy 

Omaha, Nebraska Harry Lapidus 

Patchogue, New York Alfred Blum 

Paterson, New Jersey Abraham Wolf 

Pensacola, Florida Morris Levy 

Peoria, Illinois W. B. Woolner 

Perth Amboy, New Jersey Chas. I. Silk 

Petersberg, Virginia Sol Cooper 

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Leon Obermayer 

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Leonard S. Levin 

Pittsfield, Massachusetts George A. Newman 

Phoepus & Hampton, Virginia. M.S.Cooper 

Pittsburgh, New York Julius Mendelsohn 

Portland, Maine Samuel Rosenberg 

Portsmouth, New Hampshire.. Mrs. S. M. Cohen 

Portland, Oregon Joseph Simon 

Portsmouth, Ohio Henry Atlas 

Racine, Wisconsin Mrs. David Winter 



COMMUNITY ^BRANCHES 127 



Rahway, New Jersey Sidney Harris 

Reading, Pennsylvania S. S. Schweriner 

Richmond, Virginia H. T. Ezekiel 

Rochester, New York Horace J. Wolf 

Rockford, Illinois Arthur E. Schulein 

Rockland, Maine Mrs. Simon Rosenberg 

Rome, New York M. Gardner 

Saginaw, Michigan A. D. Phillip 

Salt Lake City, Utah L. Marcus 

San Antonio, Texas Morris Stern 

San Diego, California Jacob Weinberger 

San Francisco, California M. C. SIoss 

San Jose, California J. H. Dasteel 

Scranton, Pennsylvania A.B.Cohen 

Seattle, Washington M. S. Bornstein 

Shreveport, Louisiana Meyer Benson 

Silver City, New Mexico Mrs. Eli Borenstein 

South Bend, Indiana Mrs. Maurice J. Goldberg 

Spartenburg, South Carolina... I. H. Greenwald 

Springfield, Illinois Albert Meyers 

Springfield, Massachusetts Samuel Price 

Springfield, Ohio Justin Altschul 

Stamford, Connecticut Albert Philips 

Staten Island, New York A. Greenwald 

St. Joseph, Missouri Morris Mayer 

St. Louis, Missouri Moses Schoenberg 

Syracuse, New York William Rubin 

Tacoma, Washington Mrs. Lee Lewis 

Tarrytown & North Tarry- 
town Branch, New York. . . Abe Edelson 

Terre Haute, Indiana Isaac Goodman 

Toledo, Ohio Lou Frank 

Utica, New York Mrs. P. J. Galinsky 

Trenton, New Jersey Nathaniel H. Koplin 

Troy, New York Joseph Hormatz 

Vicksburg, Mississippi Joseph Hirsh 

Waco, Texas Abe Alexander 

Washington, D. C Milton Strasburger 

Waterbury, Connecticut Herman J. Weisman 

Waukegan, Illinois Sam Schwartz 

Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania.... J. K. Weitzenkorn 

Wilmington, Delaware David Snellenberg 

Worcester, Massachusetts Archibald M. Hillman 

Youngstown, Ohio Max E. Brunswick 



